“I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you”. John 13:34
So today, during this political divide can we define what is love? When Christians love political power more than people, division is created instead of unity. We refuse to see everyone as made in God’s image and divinely loved, and categorize them based upon their race, religion, and creed. I say, tis the season to celebrate love for all. Every year when Valentine's Day comes around, most of us focus on romantic love. But when you stop to think about it, there are many levels and types of love: We love our spouse, families, friends, pets, career or even love warm nights.
How many of you remember a song, poems, novel or movie in which starry-eyed love becomes one of the most enduring focus that touches your heart for an illustrative life time. It is a complex mixture of emotions, behaviors that’s based on something seen. Maybe, what we can’t touch? My first thought is, it’s a willingness to trust in, to rely on and to cling to… “self-love, loving self”? whereas the world’s love is characterized by selfishness.
I use to cling to the game of,” Mother may I”. I loved that simple game. The person who plays the part of the mother tells you to do something. Then you have to do it. It sounds simple? But if you don’t say, “Mother, may I?” you’re out of the game. Image giving a series of commands such as “jump up”, “sit down,” “sit down”, “scratch your blank” and shake hands with four people during this slowly at first then faster and faster. If you forget to say, “mother may I” you’re out of the game. That’s a hard game, isn’t it? We get going so fast we forget to ask, “Mother, may I?”
It’s was the same for me as a Christian that coexisted as a football coach. At the time, I didn’t know the formal way to express my "philia" which is friendship, and divine love which is known as "agape" to my football players. Love can be a challenge to define at the level of how a person experience it. Love can involve personal affection, sexual attraction, platonic admiration, brotherly loyalty, benevolent concern, or worshipful adoration. To accurately answer the question “what is love?” we need to go to the beginning of love. The Bible tells us that love originates in God.
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
How could I to put into action, “Mother may I” and lead my team with biblical love without being viewed as a strange oddity. My decision to employ a Christian biblical life as a football coach with God’s leading at the time challenged me to be more actively engage in helping others along the way. The first day of meetings with my players, with no gimmicks or coaching quotes, I asked them simply, like the game, “Mother may I” What is my role as your Coach?
Some of their response:
· Coaching Games.
- Coaching Training Sessions.
- Leading the team to state.
- Leading the Team to win.
- Managing a Performance Environment to get a scholarship.
· Leadership and attain their individual goals.
· Inspire
I said to them, “all are great attributes of a Coach's responsibilities” But my role is to Love you! "It's not about me." It’s about You! Some of the kids used, “weird”,” strange”,” creepy “and even your odd coach. But the more I said it every day at the end of practice it started to sink in like, “mother may I”, To love You! I even added, what is your role? Immediately they said to love each other!
I've been telling my players, coworkers, friends, people who I advised, trained, or counseled that attitude of love ever since, “my purpose of life is to serve and love you”!
When Jesus talked to his disciples, he gave a simple command. Jesus said, “Love each other.” Period. You don’t have to jump up or sit down or scratch you know what or shake hands with people. All you do is love each other.
That sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, it isn’t. In fact, sometimes that commandment is hard because some people are hard to love. And because we’re sinners, we aren’t able to love the way Jesus loves. But, when Jesus says “love,” and you ask, “Jesus may I?” Jesus will give you the power of the Holy Spirit to love just as he loves. So, this week and beyond, love others just as Jesus wants us to. And ask him to help you do it. Now I say, “as we join Jesus on his mission”. You will ask, “Mother, may I?” Yes, you may! Go in Jesus love!
No matter the choice, it is important to remember that "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6. Jesus said we are to love as He loved us, so how did He love? “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Remember, God receive glory when we serve? The transforming power of Jesus Christ is on display in the lives of those who have traded selfishness for selflessness. We love others based on God’s abiding love for us in Christ. In response to this love, we share it with all whom we come in contact with—our “neighbors.” Someone who is worried that he doesn’t love himself enough has the wrong focus. His concern, biblically, should be his love for God and his love for his neighbor. “Self” is something we want out of the way so that we can love outwardly as we ought. And that difference in our lives causes people to examine the life-changing nature of a relationship with Jesus Christ. It validates our faith in front of others.
“Love God more than anything, and love others sincerely”. Mark 12:30-31. At the judgment seat of Christ, those who are faithful to the Lord who saved them will hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” No true servant of the Lord could ask for more.
God Bless You and This Ministry!
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