Faithful Lovers

Weddings are full of emotion. As I stood by Jonathan (my son) last Saturday, tears came flooding in at several points. I could feel the eyes of Ashley and Meme (my daughters), but I knew better than to look in their direction. With Herculean effort, I stayed somewhat composed.

There were many intense moments in the service for this “best man.” When beautiful Mary Ashton stepped out from the rear lobby and made her way down the aisle to stand with her groom. The tender exchange of vows. The music. And there was an unexpected exhilaration as Pastor David read the Scripture.

I have attended and performed about two hundred weddings, and many of them included a reading of I Corinthians 13, “The Love Chapter.” But this time was different.

Yes, the chapter pertains to the love of husband and wife. And, yes, it is a challenge for all our relationships. But I had missed a broader and perhaps more profound application.

We all know that love is not primarily an emotion. It is an unconditional commitment characterized by tangible actions on behalf of others. But when we connect I Corinthians 13 with the parable of the Great Commandment (Mt. 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20), the Love Chapter becomes far more than a wedding text.

If I am not finding ways to use the resources God has entrusted to me (energy, time, finances, prayer, influence, etc.) to communicate and demonstrate God’s love to those who are not aware of God’s grace, then all my religious activities are in vain. They may be well intended, but if my prayers, worship, stewardship, and Bible study are not accompanied and flavored by a participation in God’s mission in the world, I am not faithfully loving Jesus.

Pray that we will all be “faithful lovers” for the glory of God and the good of the world.

Listen to this song, People of God by Michael Gungor; I think its lyrics relate well to these thoughts.