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Other New Testament writers stressed the primacy of love. The writer of Hebrews encouraged readers to consider how they might "provoke one another to love and good deeds" (Heb 10.24, NRSV). The author of I Peter wrote of "genuine mutual love" and loving one another "deeply from the heart" (I Pet 1.22, NRSV).
The Ephesians text for today envelops between two matters a call to ardent Loving. First, we are to imitate God as ones dearly loved by the Spirit. Next, Paul reminds us of how Christ demonstrated love for us. It would be difficult for a sensitive reader of the text not to see the important implications of the surrounding elements to the call to be Lovers.
Our assurance is persons are in need of love. If we are loving, they will find their way to us. Sometimes they will find us intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. Persons needing lovers will often arrive without warning, as surprises wrapped in the covering of ordinary meetings and unforeseen encounters.
But how will we respond to those who come our way in need of love? We may ignore others or find ways to get them out of our way. We can consider them distractions from our so-called more important activities~our comfortable routine. We can choose to get rid of Mr. or Ms. Disruption to attend to the perceived salient matters we think must get done.
I embraced Samson as a welcome surprise. I met his need for attention and simple loving. I integrated his need into the devotion occupying my heart. Lovers welcome ways to integrate others into their lives instead of treating persons as disruptions or detours from more important priorities. Persons who come our way needing our love are our priorities; they are an integral part of our life of religious devotion.
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A wonderful thing happens when we integrate loving persons into our lives. Those whom we judged to disrupt us and draw from us the energy we thought needed for more important things bring us a wonderful, ironic gift. In loving the Other we love ourselves. Others provide us, gracefully, the gift of loving ourselves.
Suggested Reflection
1) Is there someone the holy Spirit has brought into your life whom you are not welcoming, for you think he or she is a disruption? Why? What might Christ want you to do in regard to this person? What fear might be keeping you back from welcoming this person into your life?
2) Have you ever felt much in need of love and attention and received it from someone, maybe even a stranger? What was that like for you?
3) What does it mean that "genuine love is self-replenishing"? What is the difference between "genuine" love and other forms of feigned love?
4) Have you ever been hurt by someone refusing to offer you empathy and friendship in a time of need? What did that refusal feel like for you? Do you need to forgive that person for that refusal, due to something within that person?
See next page for Purpose of OneLife and reference to a couple of the writer's written works; and reference to sources.
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