Recently I have asked many of my Christian Brothers and Sisters, “If you would have to sum the message of the Bible up in to one word what would that be”?  Without question, the consistent response was “Love”.  If this word is the single idea that comes to most of our minds as the central theme to the Lord’s “Good News” message then shouldn’t it consume the majority of our conversations, teaching, learning and practices.  First responses are funny that way you often wish that you could take them back once they have been uttered.

By and large we all would admit that our first answer is usually the one closest to the truth, before we get the chance to obfuscate, gerrymander or dodge.  So what is your first response when someone asks about love?  How would you define it, describe it, explain it or demonstrate it practically?  How would you teach a child about it?  We have all heard sermons on the four types of love but I think that is man’s attempt to categorize and simplify a word for which there is infinite depth.  Just like the Lord’s word this simple term can have unlimited layers when peeled back continue to deliver new understanding, meaning and revelation.

There have to be some good examples out there and I really want to hear them, because we cannot deny the importance of our collective understanding of this principle issue.  How much does God love you?  How do you measure it, contain it, resist it or deny it?  Love is unavoidable, indescribable, uncontainable, unexplainable and just like the Lord, we crave it.  You want to fill someone up or measurably improve their existence next time they ask you for some spare change, give them love instead.  Lord Jesus is coming soon.  Amen.