A smile on the arena of love

NORSK
It is one year ago today, since Magna and I were on the arena of terror in Istanbul. My first desire was to communicate a message of love, and God immediately gave me opportunities to do so during the following hours.

My first entry on the blog after the incident expressed the same: ‘I have to speak about love’ – and since then the opportunities to focus on God's love have lined up like a queue.

However, to speak and write about love does neither make me or other people to an example in the way Paul referred to:

“…set an example … in love…”
1 Tim 4:12

I do not think that the order Paul gave the arenas is a coincident

1. speech
2. conduct
3. love.

I not be surprised if the order illustrates a spiritual development. Anyway, I am convinced that if my words and my conduct are to be experienced as a greeting from God by people I meet, it is essential that they are driven by love.

Although Paul in the famous “chapter of love” confessed that his understanding was very limited, at least he understood that love is the most important ingredient in Christian life and living (2).

The role model above all role models, Jesus, said:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13

After this statement there is no need for additional comments.

‘Manna’ for today:

Without love, role models become idols who love to be worshiped

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(1) Occasionally God’s love can be manifested in an unexpected “smile”
(2) 1 Cor 13