.
● John 13:35 . . By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another.
For many of us who grew up in dysfunctional families, broken homes, foster
systems, gangs, and/or orphanages et al; the concept of love doesn't
resonate in our thinking; viz: it just goes in one ear and right out the other
because we quite literally have no points of reference in our minds to aid
comprehending what Christ means by love. We know what Hollywood and
contemporary music mean by love, but we haven't a clue what Christ
means.
This is why the epistles are so valuable-- many of them not only show
Christ's followers how to recognize love when they encounter it; but also
how to exemplify it in their own lives so that those of us who were deprived
of love growing up are not left to figure it out on our own. For example:
● Col 4:6 . . Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt
Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic, thoughtful, cordial,
affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, hospitable, considerate,
and tactful.
One of salt's purposes is to enhance flavor and make otherwise naturally
insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz: diplomacy; which can be
roughly defined as conversation that makes an effort to maintain peace
rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy people and make them
uncomfortable.
_
● John 13:35 . . By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another.
For many of us who grew up in dysfunctional families, broken homes, foster
systems, gangs, and/or orphanages et al; the concept of love doesn't
resonate in our thinking; viz: it just goes in one ear and right out the other
because we quite literally have no points of reference in our minds to aid
comprehending what Christ means by love. We know what Hollywood and
contemporary music mean by love, but we haven't a clue what Christ
means.
This is why the epistles are so valuable-- many of them not only show
Christ's followers how to recognize love when they encounter it; but also
how to exemplify it in their own lives so that those of us who were deprived
of love growing up are not left to figure it out on our own. For example:
● Col 4:6 . . Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt
Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic, thoughtful, cordial,
affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, hospitable, considerate,
and tactful.
One of salt's purposes is to enhance flavor and make otherwise naturally
insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz: diplomacy; which can be
roughly defined as conversation that makes an effort to maintain peace
rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy people and make them
uncomfortable.
_