Love is for Grown-ups

Hello all!!! This is so exciting (kinda)!! I've never blogged before, and to be honest I'm not sure why I started now, but whatever. . . . . . .

What I wanted to talk about was the awesome sermon preached by masterful evangelist, preacher, funny person, Terri McFaddin-Solomon. She KILLED it.

She had two really huge main points, one of which is love, and is the one I'm going to cover. . . I can by no means give the delivery she gave (go buy the cd!) but I cannot let it just sit on me without talking about it. . .

First off she pointed out that (true to my title) love is for grownups! It's not for children. A child's mindset, and view on life cannot handle the complex demands that accompany the nature of love. Her cited text was 1 Corinthians 13:11. "When I was a child, I talked like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child. When I became a [grownup] I put childish ways behind me." What this verse is saying is that a child speaks without thinking about what is being said. THEN they think about what just came out of their mouths, and finally realize (through reasoning or "understanding") that "oops, I shouldn't have said that." An adult, by contrast, thinks about what they want to say. And through their thinking (because thinking breeds understanding or "reasoning") they understand the concept of what it is they desire to say, as well as how to say it, and then they speak. Mildly convicting at least right? So maybe you're not impressed. Read on. . .

The next verse (verse 12) says "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." Let's break it down. The first part says that we see a poor reflection as in a mirror. . . Children see life in mirror form! They view life in terms of how it affects them. How THEIR life is altered. They see only themselves. For instance - when parents argue and fight, the kids feel guilty. They are not able to see that they did not cause the fight - the parents have their own issues that need working out. And in other veins of life - children abstain from taking responsibility. They can (and will) always point the blame elsewhere. And connecting this principle to love - love is not for a child. 1 Cor. 13:4 says "Love suffers long and is kind." First three words - Love suffers LONG. A child, consumed by their worldview of mirrors cannot endure. Their own mindset works against them, because if they are in pain, then that inconveniences THEM and so they leave. The second part of that verse says that, in addition to suffering long, it is also KIND in the midst. Clearly it's obvious that a child cannot "be in love." Love is for grown-ups. (Note: Paul goes into about fifteen descriptions on the facets of love - the very first was that love suffers long and is kind) Something to remember is that there are a lot of people who are children in adult clothing. They dress like adults dress. They work like adults work. But they view life as a mirrored image. When they see life, they see themselves. When they make decisions, it's based primarily upon how it affects them (take this as it is - don't take it to the extreme to mean that you never consider yourself when making decisions). They are the focal point of their own life, and they almost "force" everyone around them to adjust to their behavior and mindset. . . Know anybody like that? She pointed out that some people are married to children. Some people are dating children. And for those still "prospecting," don't make excuses for them if they fit the child profile. Don't try and "change" them, because that's the equivalent of raising them and (as she said) "you ain't they mama!" The only thing that can grow them up is the Word of God. Point them there.

An adult then, obviously has a different view from a child. They have a heavenly view (I'll explain that concept later). Mama T calls it "Window Vision." When you become older, and put off those childish ways you cease to view life as a mirror image. That mirror becomes a window! You see life and you see the big picture. You see how your decisions affect other people. You see how your decisions affect other people affecting you, and how you affect them in response:p Oh my gosh I'm getting excited. Okay pay close attention. A window is made of glass right? Glass is made from sand. . . Sand that is purified through heat. They heat the sand up to such an incredible intensity that ALL of the impurities are removed, and transparency is attained. The glass. In order to love, you must have window vision, and in order to have window vision you must be transparent. The more transparent you are, the clearer your window vision! But it gets better. Revelation 15:2 says "And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God" We are the glass mixed with the fire!!! We think it's Satan all the time, but a lot of the time it's just God turning up the heat to remove the impurities, so that we can become so much more transparent in His eyes, that He will become more transparent to US. Rather than running, we should take up the harps He provides us with and worship through the whole process!!

But there's more. For those of you crafty enough to suppose there's another way (I'm preachin' to myself now). . . think again:p Revelation 4:6 says "Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal." Does it get any clearer?! In order to get to the throne. In order to get to the Father. Transparency is required!! There is no approaching, and getting all tight with God while you're consumed with impurities. If you want to get close, understand that you will have to endure the flames of purification (that's my own term - I just made it up - it's not official - lol) Check this out . Revelation 21:18 says "The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass." We've all seen gold. Usually on wedding rings. That's not even CLOSE to the purity of the gold in heaven! Yet another sign of how important transparency is to God. And how much fire can be required in order for that process to be complete in us.

Think I've strayed from love? Far from it. Sit tight and read on.

And lest you become discouraged - here's more. Here on earth. In the natural. There are people who make the glass. And in some cases they form the glass into a vase or something. Well here's how that actually happens. The glassmaker heats the sand up to incredible temperatures to begin purifying it. Then they stick a tube in there to gather the liquid glass, and they spin it and begin to blow on it in order to begin to give it form. Eventually the glass becomes purified enough, and is formed properly and they cool it. Do you want to know what that place is called where all this takes place? THE GLORY HOLE!! In the natural, that's what it's called!! Where the purification through the fire, combined with the blowing in order to give it form. Can you not see the power of this? God has us ALL in glory holes. He puts us in the fire, purifies us, and when we are in our moldable form He blows His mighty breath of life into us and gives us the form he's intended for us all along! And the end result is greater transparency on our end, which in turn leads to more transparency on God (establishing a deeper connection with Him) and this all results in him becoming glorified!

Now - love. You cannot love without window vision. Window vision recognizes, and copes with suffering long, and being kind. Long suffering shows that God is purifying you. Molding you into His image. This results in transparency between you and God, as well as between you and your beloved. THIS in turn results in God being glorified, which is the whole reason behind our existence. It's an endless cycle, created by God to better US by causing us to be transparent with Him.

You want "fall in love?"

You want to "be in love?"

You want somebody to "love you?"

Make sure that you are not pursuing children.

Get rid of the mirrors and establish (and maintain) window vision.

Grow up.

Why?

Love is for Grown-ups.