#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
JOE walk around the play ground with me and we would talk. I would buy JOE an ice cream and he
would smile so big. JOE never could afford an ice cream. When the class would go to PE I would
ask JOE if he would help me. He might wash the chalk board. He was eager to help me do what
ever I needed done.
I had developed a plan beyond MY TEACHING DUTY: MY PLAN WAS SIMPLE---
SMOTHER JOE WITH ATTENTION AND LOVE.
You would not believe the change that came over my BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM JOE.
JOE's anger issues and fighting corrected themselves.
THE OTHER TEACHERS NOTED WHAT A WONDERFUL CHANGE JOE HAD MADE.
LOVE NEVER FAILS. JOE'S grades improved and he surprised us all.
IN December JOE had a set back?
ONE DAY I WAS CALLED INTO THE OFFICE, IT WAS JOE, JOE HAD KISSED SEVERAL
GIRLS AND BROKE THE RULES. The Principal had to discipline JOE.
Later I asked JOE, WHY? He said because times are hard.
Some boys had offered JOE 75 cents to kiss two girls. JOE said again times are hard an a man
does what he has to do? I did not understand?
JOE quietly worked several days. He borrowed my glue, my stapler and secretly worked
on something.
My birthday rolled around, JOE was standing at my desk he was grinning ear to ear.
HE SANG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. I was humbled, JOE HAD MADE ME A LITTLE
LEATHER POUCH.
See a girl in the class dad ran a little store and they had leather samples. She brought some
to school and when JOE saw them he wanted some. She said for 75 cents you can buy three.
JOE had no money, so he kissed the girls and made 75 cents to buy the leather to make
me a birthday present. His present cost him a trip to see the principal.
That was 35 years ago, I moved away. I have never heard from JOE, but buried somewhere
with my books is a leather pouch MADE WITH LOVE.
WHILE LOVE NEVER FAILS --- LOVE IS A SOUND INVESTMENT WITH ETERNAL
REWARDS.
REAL LOVE UNDERSTANDS THE GOLDEN RULE ---
JESUS TEACHES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT:
THERE WAS A MOSAIC LAW THAT WAS A COMMANDMENT:
WHATEVER IS HURTFUL TO YOU, DO NOT DO TO ANOTHER PERSON.
Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to
them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Do we ever put ourselves in other people's hearts?
What is really going on here?
Someone is dying for encouragement? Just a few words of kindness? A hug?
WE SING--- " I CAN ONLY IMAGINE?"
I say why don't we try to imagine --- WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU WILL FACE TOMORROW...
WHAT ABOUT THEM LORD? WHAT ABOUT THEM?
I HAVE ALWAYS CARRIED A HEAVY BURDEN FOR PEOPLE THAT LOVE AND LOVE, AND
GIVE AND GIVE AND WATER OTHERS ---
Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
We must bring JOY to others to receive JOY.
We must be spiritually alive and WATER OTHERS...
WE MUST BECOME USEFUL TO MAKE OTHERS USEFUL.
WHAT BURIED TALENTS ARE DORMAINT IN OUR FAMILIES?
This mountain before us will be difficult to climb.
This sickness will teach us: DEATH OR FAITH...
This opportunity is A DIVINE OPPORTUNITY?
THE WIDOW OF SAREPTA GAVE FROM HER LACK ---
AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD SHE NEVER KNEW LACK...
THE OLD PREACHER PAUL HAS A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR HIS FRIEND...
BEFORE I CLOE THE BOOK --- LET ME TELL YOU --- FINISH...
Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the
Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Colossians 4:17 (NLT) And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
Colossians 4:17 (MSG) And, oh, yes, tell Archippus, "Do your best in the job you received from the
Master. Do your very best."
CONCLUSION: Real love must go beyond HAVE TO... To know the ground: I WANT TO...
TRY INVESTING IN LOVE...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
