Day 58 “A Year of Thought”: Learn How to Live

Last week in one of my classes we were discussing divorce with three couples who have had experienced divorce in some way or another in their lives. I took a few notes during this discussion trying to get a grasp on their perspectives and with the knowledge that I am assigned a paper over this topic that is due later this week. In those notes that I wrote at the top of the page in all caps I wrote “LEARN HOW TO LOVE”

 

One of them mentioned when questioned about what made their second marriage last over thirty years and still be so strong, they replied with “We learned how to love.” Isn’t that the point of life, that all of us are searching for deep down in our souls. To live life. To learn how to live together and enjoy the moments that we have.

 

Tonight I was reading through a few of David’s psalms and Jesus teaching on loving out enemies. I believe David was a great example of trying to learn to live and love his enemies. Not that David didn’t make mistakes but through the whole conflict with Saul, David still tried to respect and love the king. King Saul made himself out to be the enemy and wanted to rid his life of David. Saul has given up on learning to live, to pursue the hatred that was brewing in his heart. He was moving out of fear, a life out of fear is a pathetic excuse for a life. It leaves us empty and unable to love the people around us.

 

So when Jesus talks about loving our enemies he is teaching us to live. To find life to the fullest pouring over in love. Life has very little space for hatred for it forms a black hole in our hearts and sucks the life we are called to live right out of us.

 

But life is hard, loving our enemies is hard.

 

Jesus never said love was easy.

 

Life isn’t easy, but learning to live is worth it. What made that couples second marriage sweet, they learned to live, they learned to love despite their differences. They learned the hard way that love is hard but it is worth it.

 

This has made me thing hard about who my enemies are and who needs my love? Who have I hated (maybe for no reason)? How can I learn to live and move to a place of love? I am learning to live, learning to love and I pray that any small hatred be turned to love that I might learn to live with others and enjoy life to the fullest.

 

-Caleb Ross Hunter

Day 54 “A Year of Thoughts”: Stronger Inside and out

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers”. –1 Timothy 4:7-16

 

These verses were the topic of the message today in chapel, however, it wasn’t until this evening while working out that it became clear to me. I often hate training. I have all these goals and things that I know will make me stronger in one area or another but I don’t like disciplining myself enough to do them, to go beyond where I am. I had given up on working out really unless I felt like it from time to time, until my best friend challenged me in a way to do it again. We try to work out three times a week now. We have to be intentional about that time and work at it. Sometimes we get distracted but thats part of the learning to train that I need to work on.

I also have a goal of reading at least one book a months and I am behind on that. I have to be more intentional about planning time for that and making my mind stronger outside of the classroom. But when it comes down to it my strength and training must begin with the heart. I want to be a man after God’s own heart. So I have to be intentional and train myself daily in my walk with God. This is what I’ve been thinking on.

 

-Caleb Ross Hunter