Bible – Solano Writing

Love is patient…

I think of the man walking slowly through the grocery store with his elderly mother helping her get all the things she needs.

Love is kind…

I think of the woman who, when she saw a child fall off his bike, immediately stopped to help the crying child get to his mother and first-aid.

It does not envy…

I witnessed writers congratulating and hugging their fellow writers as they won awards for which they had competed.

It does not boast…

There was that true sportsman who, upon winning the championship simply smiled and pointed to heaven, acknowledging where the talent and drive originated.

It is not proud…

The former head of a denomination confessed a slight wrong to his successor and asked forgiveness in a spirit of complete openness, even allowing the story to be told in public.

It does not dishonor others…

There was the girl who stood by her friend being accused by their peers.

It is not self-seeking…

I’ve seen many parents work multiple jobs so that their children can have food and clothing.

It is not easily angered…

I’ve seen police officers, being berated and belittled by an aggressor, calmly question and calm the suspect.

It keeps no record of wrongs…

I think of the couple that got back together after his infidelity, when they worked through their problems in counseling.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth…

There was the couple who confronted the killer of their son, holding him responsible for his actions while forgiving him and bringing him the truth of the Gospel.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

There was that couple who came alongside me in my trials, living the example of faithful marriage for many years.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

There are so many examples of the love chapter being lived out in our lives. I have witnessed either first or second hand all the above examples. I strive to live out these verses myself.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all were to be living examples of this chapter everyday?

Let it start with me and you!

I know I haven’t posted much here lately. But I am still writing. Wil Clarey Book 3 is moving along at a slow but steady pace. But there’s another bit of writing that I’ve been consistent with this year.

For the past few years I have been posting a Bible reading schedule each day.

The schedule is not exclusive to me. I use the Life Journal reading plan from You Version. I just post it on Facebook to make it accessible to more people and to provide a forum to comment about the reading.

This year I challenged myself to write a commentary on each day’s reading. I have surprised myself by being consistent with that every day. (1 month so far)

Today’s commentary (actually tomorrow’s since I write them a day in advance) contains a little more passion than most. I decided that, even though I don’t want this blog to become preachy, this would be a good one to share.

Here’s the entry:

Reading for February 3, 2022

Exodus 35-36

Acts 10

“But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.””

Acts of the Apostles 10:15 NLT

I admit, when I first saw this I thought, “See, vegans can’t use the Bible to back up their claims!”

That’s true. But this chapter goes way beyond food. In fact, the vision was intended for Peter to learn not to exclude people.

You might say, “But we don’t exclude people anymore.”

Really?

Okay, most people have suppressed the tendency toward racism, though it does still exist. But what about excluding people we see as failures.

It has gotten so bad that we now have a phrase for it. “Cancel Culture.”

Someone fails morally or ethically and we tend to think of them as no longer belonging to society. We stop buying their products, listening to their music, reading their books. You may even be tempted to think of them as less than human.

Let me declare right now that God loves each human being no matter what they have done. Their deeds may require they reap dire consequences, but God loves the death row inmate just as much as He loves me.

That’s a tough pill to swallow.

Are there people that you have thought of as not deserving God’s love? Do you think God loves each person enough to lay down His life for them? Can you make “cancel culture” a thing of the past?

If you are interested in following these Bible reading posts, search for the group “North Metro Life Journal” on Facebook.

Tag: Bible

Love is…