Monday, May 12, 2008

Love's Language

The man kept talking to me all afternoon. He was so enthusiastic and I sensed his desire was very strong to have me comprehend what he was saying. Sadly, as we rode the same bus, traveling the same road, we failed to communicate. An afternoon of my life was shared with another human being and even though we were traveling life's road together, we never quite understood each other. We just weren't speaking the same language. Or maybe we were after all. But only one of us wanted to listen.
Back then I was a young American in the Air Force and he was an older Korean man. Every few minutes, he tried to speak slower so I would understand what he was saying. He even drew a couple of pictures for me of what appeared to be a large truck with two stick men standing beside it. About three hours into our journey, he flashed a broad smile, shouted something in Korean, reached into his wallet and flashed an ID card with English and Korean writing. Under the smiling picture was his name and occupation. I don't remember his name. But I never will forget what he did for a living. He was probably the most excited sanitation worker I have ever met!!! But he was also excited about something else he wanted me to understand.
Language can be such a barrier to communication. The language of love has many barriers to keep us from connecting. Because God is love, His language is love. He speaks out of His nature. Because He wants His people to speak love, there are many natural barriers. The language of this world is diametrically opposed to godly communication. The world’s systems are not supportive of the language of love. Now I’m not talking about how the world defines love. I’m referring to God’s love. A supernatural love…Love that communicates patience…while we live in a fast food, drive by world. God’s love speaks contentment when we are tempted to want more and more of what we have enough of already. Godly love is marked by humility and selflessness in a world filled with pompous braggarts and selfish pleasure, (and treasure) hunters. God’s love finds joy in right livng while the world celebrates and flaunts wrong ideas and attitudes. God’s love will motivate us to share it. It’s too marvelous to keep to ourselves.
I recall that the Korean man also had a book in his lap. It was a bible, written in English and Korean. He kept reading parts of it and pointing to the English translation, trying to get me to read it. I kept acting as if I didn’t understand. My problem was that I understood all too well. It was a time in my life where I needed God more than ever. I was a stranger in a strange land, alienated from God, and living as though I didn’t need Him. I was a living example of arrogance on display. But God was on my trail. Trying to break through with His language of love, using a trash man’s passion for the Treasure he had found, God was symbolically communicating in His language of love. He had placed me on a bus, sitting next to one of His people, sharing His language of love one more time. I can see it pretty clearly now. When God is on the hunt of a human, He will chase us until we follow Him. Listen to how God defines His language of love.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;... (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
What is He saying to you today? Who is He speaking through? Love never fails.
Blessings to you,
Sam

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