It's been a long time since I posted any of BJ's writings. As we are in full swing putting the book together on his life, some of the things that I have completely forgotten have resurfaced. I want to share part of one of them with you. This is a small segment of an email he sent to a friend who was struggling with being loved. He sent her literally pages of information, teaching her what love is and is not.
This kind of jumps in right in the middle of the conversation, but I believe you will follow his thinking...
..1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Now that we have established that Love is action, lets go back to 1 Corinthians 13. In this passage, it states 7 things that love is and 8 things that love is not.
First, Love is patient. So often we become very impatient and think little to nothing of it. Maybe we even realize that we are being impatient and that it is wrong, but even in those few circumstances, do we understand that we are acting against our love for that person, and so God? I know for a long time I found it acceptable to be impatient with people IF I was "justified," or if they were being annoying, etc. However, this is not the case. Even when it may be "justified" by our human standards, it is against love, and thus against God (for God is love), and therefore a sin, and sin is NEVER justified. Instead, when we would find it easy to become impatient with someone, we should instead be patient, for love is patient, and Christ commanded that we love each other in John 15:17 (this passage is cool because of a trail of short statements that Christ says that lead up to it: first, John 14:15 "If you love me, obey my commands" then in John 15:14 "You are my friends if you obey my commands" then in John 15:17 "I command you to love each other" I just thought it was cool).
Second, Love is kind. Kindness, now there's something for you. Remember every now and then when someone says something like "I love you in the God way" or "Well, I love them in the God way, but that does mean I have to be nice to them/you"? Riiiight, and please show me the love of God that doesn't require kindness. And remember, God not only commanded us to love our friends and family, but to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Now loving our enemies isn't just "In the God way," but to really love them, which means being kind to them. I know that I struggle with this, and you probably do to. Yes, even those who have backstabbed us, who have made out
with our boyfriends (I know that hasn't happened to you, at least to my knowledge, but it was just an example), who have lied to us, used us, insulted us, been just downright MEAN to us.
The third thing love is/does, Love rejoices with the truth. This is really best explained by the corresponding "Love is not," which I'll talk about later. Other than that, its pretty self explanatory: Love takes joy in the truth. It seeks it, not just for itself and of things, but it also seeks the truth of others.
He goes on, and perhaps I will share more excerpts later. However, we need to save the best stuff for the book. It's due out in January! Yeah, that is a long time from now.
When I re-read his writings, it becomes clear the incredible wisdom the Lord pours through him. How blessed we are to call him our son. How much more blessed are those the Lord touches through him. I Praise God for His dedication to BJ. I thank Him for the time we had as family. I miss my son, but his writings are as inspired today as the day he wrote them. Oh the blessing that overflows from an obedient, surrendered life!
dad
6 Comments:
I can just imagine BJ having that conversation! His wisdom, though far beyond his years, was spoken so softly. He always seemed to get his point across- gently, pouring out grace in the process.
I'll never forget the last actual conversation (not through the glass of the hospital room) Nate and I had with Beej, he rode to lunch with us after church in the backseat of our tiny Saturn (because he had some questions for me that could NOT wait until the lunch table) and he literally had his head between Nate and I... I can only imagine that people riding by thought that all of us were riding in the front seat! I imagine the passion he had in his voice as he was speaking to Nate and I conveyed in the e-mail he wrote to his friend. Like you who are blessed to be his parents, we are blessed to have been called his friends.
Beej, we miss you!
Brent and Deanna, we can't wait for the book to come out! So glad that God worked everything out to make it happen. We love you!
Such wisdom for someone who does not have the years to match it. What a beautiful picture of total obedience to our Lord. Thank you for sharing that with us today Brent, and giving us, as usual, plenty to think and meditate on. Looking forward to the book release.
In His Love
Linda
That was great. BJ had wisdom beyond his years. Thanks for sharing that.
Kevin
thank you
Brent,
I have a good friend of mine who, after God has done some very amazing things in his life over the last few months, has decided he wants to look into different kinds of mission trips. I have a class with your daughter Whitney at IUPUI and I asked her, and she recommended I contact you to get some more information. Perhaps we could chat via e-mail?
paulriccio@ltdkate.com
Thanks and God bless,
Paul
WOW!!!! A lot to think about and change in our lives...thanks, Brent!! I CANNOT wait for the book!!!!!!!
Agape!
Linda Anderson
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