What Kind of Love Are You Loving With?

“The World’s kind of love centers on getting and using.”

“In stark contrast, God’s kind of love focuses on giving and serving.”

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”  (1 John 4:7-8)

“Perhaps here’s a new thought.  The greater one’s uselessness, inability, of stubbornness, the greater potential there is for you to experience God’s love.” 

“…everyone’s value comes from their ability to draw out what God puts in – His kind of love – thus bringing glory to God.”

This is all from an excellent, highly recommended book, Equipped to Love: Building Idolatry-Free Relationships, by Norm Wakefield. 

This was a very humbling read.  It was a painful realization that there are times that I love my children, my husband, and others with the world’s kind of love instead of God’s.  But I also saw the beauty in the value of those who can at times be difficult to love.