Tom Vander Well

Chapter-a-Day 2 John

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Conduct
Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that
you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing
has changed. 2 John 1:6 (TM)

Conduct
your life in love.
When I am in a client meeting, how can I love better?
When I am shopping,
how can I love better?
How can I love the checkout lady at Casey’s or the barrista at
Starbucks?
How can I love better when I am hanging at home?
How can I better conduct my social activities with
love?

Love
is not a concept. It is not an object. God’s love is to be experienced. Having been experienced, it becomes a pervasive presence that spreads through heart, mind and body coloring
every thought, relationship, and action.

_______________________

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Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and roulo

4 responses to “Chapter-a-Day 2 John”

  1. Tom Vander Well Avatar
    Tom Vander Well

    Great points, Keith. It is hard to be discerning, and we don’t always make the decisions we wish we had (when we look back with 20-20 hindsight) – though God has purpose in learning from our “mistakes”.
    I liked that end paragraph, too. Obviously, John cared for his people, and wanted to be with him. What a blessing, however – to have “instant” communication through technology and not have to wait for someone to carry letters back and forth!

    Reply
  2. kr Avatar
    kr

    I find it interesting how John points out that the accountability you and I share is critical in helping us discern quality Christian leadership. There are a lot of smooth talkers out there. If they come and want to work for our church, company….how do we know if they come to us from God? If we cultivate our relationship with Christ and are keenly aware of what his Word prescribes, we will be better prepared to make important decisions about Godly leadership.
    The last paragraph also struck me with regards to what you and I are doing. There is something unique about speaking and communicating in person and I know that will be an important part of our relationship going forward.

    Reply
  3. Tom Vander Well Avatar
    Tom Vander Well

    Great thoughts, Jodi. That “truth” side of love can be a hard one. I sometimes struggle to know if I’m “speaking truth in love” or if I’m just being a jerk.
    Keep loving those students!!

    Reply
  4. jmarvel Avatar
    jmarvel

    Love is not an object and is certainly to be experienced. It’s not the mushy kind of love either – it’s a love filled with grace AND truth. As a teacher, I am reminded daily that I am called to love my students with both of those ideas in mind. Love can sometimes mean discipline. It’s not an easy thing to do!

    Reply

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