-If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
–1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
-Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself…'”
–Matthew 22: 37-39
-“Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it’s not particularly dignified and newsworthy, but it’s always there…”
–from the voice-over in the opening of the film “Love, Actually” (performed by Hugh Grant)
My grandma Skippy gifted every one of her grandchildren graduation quilts…heirlooms representing hours spent patiently sewing together myriad scraps of fabric in our favorite colors. In one corner of mine she stitched out “1983 Ella K.” underneath a label that affirms “Made with love by Grandma.”
She made that quilt for me…with love.
God made a universe.
I like to think that out there somewhere, in the far reaches of space, there’s a corner of the galaxy that you can fold over and find “Created with love by God.”
This whole wide world was made with love.
Sadly, there seems to be more evidence at present of every kind of awful…anger, resentment, rage, bitterness, despair, discouragement, divisiveness…hopelessness. Like the proverbial silver lining, we have to work harder to locate that love in an ever-changing cloud of ick.
This quest has become monumentally more important to me in my current season of grief. In the past year I have watched four loved ones pass away: Diana, Gary, Jay, and my mom Geri Ann. There is one phrase that keeps popping up with random/not random regularity…
“Grief is love with no place to go.”
So, what do I do with all that love? Where does it go now?
During a time when both my mom and I were dealing with some thorny health issues, we had a long talk about aging and the physical changes that come with it. We groused about all the things we could no longer do, and how those activities that remained left us more tired more quickly. We reached two conclusions:
- Consider the alternative.
- It helps to have gratitude for all you still have, and can still do.
What do I do with this body? Everything possible, as long as He needs me here.
What do I do with this love? Pour it on everyone possible, as long as He needs me to.
Hugh Grant wraps up his monologue with this…
“If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling love, actually…is all around.”
Okay…but…
What if you don’t look for it, but rather…bring it?
Look upon this earth, this life, with loving eyes. Step into it with a loving heart. Move through it with loving thoughts, words, and actions.
Carry that love out into the world and give it away.
The love of Jesus.
Because His love, actually…is in you.