These 5 chapters have seemed to have a theme. The theme is, it’s a matter of the Heart. Where is my heart at. Am I doing things for Christ or myself? Am I doing things out of love or obligation? Where do I stand and am I standing on the promises of God and must importantly and I sharing them with those around me. Here are the my thoughts on Chapters 11-15.
“There’s More Room”, Goff sure know how to kindly convict you (mainly me!) He starts off the chapter with a story of sneaking onto the set of National Treasure 2. Obviously he didn’t belong there and had a once in a lifetime opportunity. Many times we are in situations in life where we feel like we don’t belong. Whether it is at church, a business meeting, a new class, or sometimes even at the grocery store. Those feelings can be hard to deal with but what we need to realize is we do belong to the family of God. We are accepted there and He wants to take part in what He has in store for us. Goff then goes on to tell a story of a family trip the had to DC during easter. The White House puts on a Easter Egg hunt for the people invited. If you aren’t invited you can’t get in. So Goff and his wife put eggs out on the other side of the fence for their kids. He wanted his kids to feel like they were special that they belonged. This is where I was convicted. Do I wake up with the enthusiasm for Christ that make people feel welcomed. Or am I too busy with myself and my own concerns that I push people away and make them feel like I don’t have time for them. I don’t want to be that person who is too busy or too judgmental to let people into this love of Christ. Acts of service is my love language. It is how I receive love and how I give it. However sometimes I let the world in and I forget that. God has been challenging me on how I can serve with my busy schedule. How can I give of myself to make people feel welcome. We are not the gate keeps of heaven. We are the ushers. “We’re the ones who simply show people to their seats that someone else paid for.” (p. 82)
“I use to think the words spoken about us describe who we are, but now I know they share who we are.” (p.84) In Chapter 12 ‘Wow, What A Hit”, Goff shares a story of when a coach wrote him an uplifting note after he hit a home run in a baseball game. Now Goff (in his own words) was not/is not athletic so for him to hit this home run after striking out countless times was a big deal. But What was the bigger deal was the words of encouragement that his coach gave him after the fact. It lifted Goff’s spirits and self esteem. Something as simple as writing a note. I get caught up in the big Love Does actions. Such as making dinner for someone, paying for camp for a youth student, dog sitting for free, etc. I forget that a simple word is an act of love. encouraging people is huge. I should know this, I have been studying Psychology for 2 years now and have been a Christian for much longer. While reading this chapter the song by Hawk Nelson “Words” came to mind. “Let my words be life. Let my words be truth. I don't wanna say a word. Unless it points the world back to You” I want my words to fill people with love and hope and most importantly point them back to Jesus.
I got a little something different out of Chapter 13 ‘Bigger and Better’ then maybe what Goff had intended. His son was playing the game bigger and better. Long story short, his son ended up with a truck that he ended up donating to someone who needed it. WOW! This boy could have kept the truck, he got it fair and square but because his father instilled in him that Love Does, he gave it away. It so impressed me because Goff just demonstrates what an example we need to be to our children. Whether it is our own children or children we lead at church or in the community. They watch us. If we are in line with Christ and if we are letting the Holy Spirit work in us then our children will see it. We must be an example of Christ love to them.
“None of us want to make God look bad. But in the end being fake makes God look worse. It makes people think God tastes like Cristco.” (p. 99) Some background on this quote. In Chapter 14 ‘A New Kind Of Diet’ Goff did a diet with some friends and at one point thought he was eating low fat cream cheese but really he was eating crisco…yuck. He uses this as an analogy for when Paul told Timothy that some people seem to be righteous and holy but really they are just faking it and aren’t filled with the spirit. The packaging looks right but really its just Cristco in the inside. We as Christians a lot of times now the Christian things to say and way to pray that makes it look like we have it all together and in reality we don’t. We aren’t operating in the Spirit. We think we are fooling people into thinking we have it, sometime we do, but eventually they will realize we are just Cristco. The worst thing about this is it leaves a bad taste in non-believers mouths, which gives them the wrong impression of God. Do we want to leave people with the false impression of God. Do I want to be responsible for that? No, I don't think any christian does. We need to be honest and real with people. But to do that we have to spend time in The Word. We have to make sure we are filled with the Spirit.
‘Don’t Use That Word’ Goff had help writing this book and one tip he received was to not use the word that. Goff to this day doesn’t know why but he trusts his friend so he stopped using it as much as he could. Goff then relates this to Christ. Many times Christ tells us not to do something and we should listening. It is not that He is being controlling or manipulative it’s that He knows whats best. He is the author of our life so if we trust him we must obey him. Recently my life has been in major transition. God has been moving my physically, spiritually and emotionally. One major thing He has told my husband and myself is to stop drinking. We aren’t sure why. We by no means are alcoholics. We actually rarely drink when we do. All we know is that he said to stop so we have. Sometimes I wonder if it is because of this major move in our life away from all those we held dear that He didn’t want us turning to that for comfort. I don’t know. All I know if I have to listen to Christ because I trust Him and I know He has my best interests in mind.
Love Does has been forcing me to look inward. Where is my heart? Sometimes its hard and convicting. But if I am to be a true follower of Christ I need to be changed so His love shines through me and I die to myself.
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