#11understanding Love: Beyond Duty

#11 UNDERSTANDING LOVE: REAL LOVE GOES BEYOND THE DUTY...

BEYOND HAVE TO... LOVE GIVES EXTRA EFFORT

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

THE PEOPLE THAT DESERVE YOUR LOVE THE LEAST,

PROBABLY NEED IT THE MOST!

LOVE SACRIFICE IS NOT MEASURED BY HOW MUCH?

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? HOW DO I LOVE THEE, LET ME COUNT THE WAYS...

ZACCHAEUS HAD A PERSONAL VISITATION THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE.

HE LEARNED LOVE GIVES MORE THAN WHAT IS REQUIRED...

Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him,

Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I

give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him

fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he

also is a son of Abraham.

A friend of mine was in English class when the teacher called him to the chalk board and

ask him to diagram a sentence. He told the teach: DO I HAVE TO...?

Her answer was clear: NO, YOU GET TO... ?

Dottie Rambo penned a song: Is there anything I can do for you? Anything I can do?

After all the things You've done for me --- IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO...

When we first fell in love we were always looking for THE AVENUE OF LOVE, to do something

special for that one you loved.

Linda wrote me tons of love notes telling me how special I was and how much she loved me.

We dated 2 1/2 years, we have been married 45, I can not tell you when I received a love note

from her?

TO UNDERSTAND REAL LOVE WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCT IN

HAVE TO AND WANT TO --- THE COMPELLED MILE IS NOT TESTIMONY...

Roman law was force... You have to...

Jesus demonstrated go beyond what is required of you.

Matthew 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 5:41 (MSG) And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice

the servant life.

LOVE GOES BEYOND WHAT IS DEMANDED OR EXPECTED...

LOVE UNDERSTAND LET ME --- PLEASE LET US NOT GIVE UP --- LET US TRY AGAIN...

KEEP NOTHING BACK --- GREATER EFFORT IS DEMANDED --- NOT BY FORCE BUT

TO VOLUNTEER... DON'T GIVE UP...

Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he

came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard,

Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why

cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till

I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut

it down.

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

SOME BELIEVE AFTER THE SECOND CHANCE THE TREE THRIVED?

OTHERS BELIEVE AFTER ALL THE SWEAT EQUITY THE TREE REMAINS UNFRUITFUL.

THE QUESTION IS NOT FRUITFUL OR UNFRUITFUL, THE ANSWER IS TRY AGAIN...

LOVE WILL TRY AGAIN...

LOVE NEVER FAILS --- LOVE IS MUCH LIKE A LONG TERM INVESTMENT ---

YOU MAY NOT SEE THE REWARDS IMMEDIATELY...

1 Corinthians 13:8 (KJV) Charity never faileth ....

WHO WILL LOVE THE HARD TO LOVE? TROUBLED PEOPLE...?

TROUBLED PEOPLE TROUBLE PEOPLE...

HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE...

THIS IS A VICIOUS CYCLE...

HATRED CAN NEVER DEFEAT HATRED...

ANGER CAN NEVER DESTROY ANGER.

As a school teacher you watch the classes under you knowing that someday you will have them

in your class. I became very acquainted with a boy named JOE. Joe was a difficult child to say

the least. As assistant principal JOE FREQUENTED THE OFFICE being in some kind of trouble.

I dreaded the year that JOE BECAME MY STUDENT.

Well, sure enough JOE was in my class room. JOE was very smart but not motivated at all. I tried

every form of behavior modification that I knew and JOE WAS STILL A NIGHTMARE.

I started praying that someway I had to reach JOE and help him. I made a home visit and found JOE

was in a terrible home. His Dad was the community drunk and his dysfunctional family had JOE's

attitudes. When Father was mentioned JOE had a negative image.

After my wife and I prayed I developed a strategy to REACH OUT TO JOE. At break time I would have