I don’t know about you (or if anyone is even reading this series), but I’m about done with this Love Chapter from 1 Corinthians 13. I’ve had enough. It’s too convicting and I don’t like being uncomfortable. Not really but there is probably something to be said there….

Confession time….I’m moody. I mean really moody. I can change a mood in an instant and leave all of those around me wondering what just happened. A majority of the time, I like to laugh and have a good time. There are moments, times, days, when I can be so rude I can’t stand myself. I’m not sure how my family puts up with it. Honestly.

I once had a friend that was REALLY rude. She made no apology for it. Straight forward. Blunt. Rude. She would even say “I know I’m rude, it’s just the way I am”.

Is that okay? Is my saying that I am moody and just moving on without a second thought okay? Something tells me that Paul is saying otherwise. Actually, he’s pretty clear when he says “It is not rude”. Pretty tough to just pass that one by. That’s what makes this whole deeper dive into the love chapter so tough. It needs to be examined and not dismissed.

It is not rude.

I’ve got a lot to work on and we’re not even through the 5th verse yet….

I take a quick intermission from the Love Chapter posts for this little number. I couldn’t help but post it. I got a great laugh out of it the first time I watched it. The second time I watched it, I got perspective. What you will see as a compilation of highly paid athletes saying and acting like fools. For perspective, we pay these people by buying the tickets and the gear. We enable their behavior by shouting their name and elevating them to “King”. I’m as guilty as anyone.

Then I think of my previous post with families loving children diagnosed with MPS.

I think of people battling cancer, those that have lost the battle and those they leave behind.

I think of those out of work, willing to do almost anything to pay the bills.

I think of the less fortunate that wonder where the next meal will come from

And these are the people we idolize, elevate and call “King”.

Just keeping it real….

*note, there is a cuss word..or two.

I am always amazed at how something that God is speaking to me about suddenly comes through in other places. With the thoughts of the Love Chapter series sitting on my mind this weekend, it happened again. Our good friend Rachel Wojnarowski was kind enough to invite us to a gathering of families with children that have been diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS). As I watched the parents care for their children, the following words came to my mind:

Patient

Kind

Does not envy

In continuing the series on the Love Chapter from 1 Corinthians 13, I have the vision in my mind of parents with real love in their eyes for their children. Each one patient. Each one kind. Each one without envy. We witnessed families dedicated to pouring into their children. We witnessed sons and daughters of the King being treated like Princes and Princesses by their Moms and Dads. It was a wonderful time. It was beautiful chaos.

It was love.

For more information about MPS and ways to help, see the MPS Society website (HERE)

Follow Rachel Wojnarowski’s blog (HERE)

This is the first birthday I will celebrate since my Mom passed in March. From what my Sister and Dad have told me, she very much wanted to make the trip from Houston to Columbus to celebrate my 40th birthday. Just knowing that it was that important to her is so special to me. While I miss her, I am so thankful for the time we shared over these 40 years.

Last night, my Wife presented me with this letter. While the keystrokes came from her hand, I believe it was a message sent from Heaven. I cannot express how much I appreciate my bride being the vessel to deliver such beautiful words. I was blessed with a wonderful mother and am blessed with a bride that literally hears from heaven. From my wife:

I believe the Lord spoke to me while running the other day. He said…tell Him. I
said…okay. My love, if your Mom could be here today, I believe she would say something like this…

Dear Aaron,
I love you. I loved you from the first moment I knew about you. I would just think and think about you. I wondered what color eyes I would look at, how your little fingers would feel in my hands, what dreams God would place on your heart that would carry on throughout your life. Today you are 40. Today I love you with all that I am. I am very proud of you. I am proud of your heart for your Lord. I am proud of your love for your sister and your father. I am proud of the love you have for your wife. I am proud of your love for your children. You are carrying out the legacy that I dreamed of the day I found out about you. You and me against the world…

Aaron, I know your battles. I know your struggles. I know your strongholds. I know your weaknesses. Nothing is too big for Him. Never forget that.

Aaron, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t be with you today. I’m sorry that my will to live just couldn’t hold on. I want you to know, I was there. I heard every word. I appreciate your love more than you will ever know. I appreciate your patience with me. I appreciate
your heart, it’s a heart after God’s, as it shows.

Aaron, never forget to love your family. Next to God, they are your first priority. You are raising Austin, Emma, and Brynn to be the ones to carry on His plan for their lives, and it will affect so many others.

Never forget that I love you. I can’t wait to see you soon.

Love,
Mom

It pains me to write parts of this post. It really does. For on this day 40 years ago, my Mom and Dad welcomed me into this world (talk about patient!). If you know me, or ask my Wife, you will find out that the LAST thing I want to do is make some big spectacle out of this day. I’m not having trouble dealing with the “big four oh” or anything like that. Actually I just don’t see it as a big deal. As I’ve said, my body feels 60 and I act like I’m about 13 years old. 40 is really just a number.

To me at least…

This is where todays lesson comes in. As we continue to look at the Love Chapter from 1 Corinthians 13, it is only appropriate that the next words are “Love is Kind”. You see, I was given an amazing gift for my birthday. I responded by promptly returning said gift. In my mind it was for all of the right reasons. Yet there were other elements involved. What I failed to consider is the kindness of the gift and the love behind it’s purchase. Over the weekend my Dad, another person that loves me, showed the same kindness with an offer to help pay for the gift again. This was my second opportunity to see what I had failed to see.

I don’t know if you’re like me, but I am a terrible “gift receiver”. I’m not real sure I know how to receive love. It’s not in my love language. I don’t like big parties in my honor and I don’t want a focus put on things like birthdays. It’s just the way I’m wired. But guess what…

It’s not about me.

Love is kind. Gifts are kind. People love to give gifts. To not accept these opportunities and expressions of love is as rude as not loving in return. Love is being kind to realize that someone loves you. Love is kind to realize that they are trying to express that love. The lesson I have learned the last few days is that love is kind to accept those that want to love on you.

Shame on me for not accepting that love and for not allowing others to be kind.

Thank you to my Wife, my Dad and all of the others that made this incredible gift possible. You are all too kind and I love you.

1 Corinthians 13: 4 says that “Love is Patient….”

Really? I mean, really? Does it have to be? I’ll be really honest and say that one of my spiritual gifts is not patience. I am seriously lacking in this department.

My wife, for example, has the patience of a Saint. If you need an example, we’ve been married 13 years now. That should give you an idea of how patient she is. She’s put up with me for that long. I was good with this whole love chapter thing until I read that (which isn’t saying much since it’s pretty much the first rule of what love is). Patient? Really?

When “Wubzzy” (our 6 month old dog) tears up our house one item at a time?

When our 5 year old says your name over and over and over and over and over and over until you finally answer?

When I don’t get MY way and have to do what is more fun for the kids?

When I want MY time and cannot seem to see that my wife deserves HER time too?

Patient? Really? But what if I don’t want to? Show me someone that has patience!

When God has given me 39 years and 364 days of grace.

When decisions I’ve made and failures I’ve accumulated have ended much better than they could have.

When I’ve been given the blessing of 3 incredible children and a wife that is beyond patient with me.

When I know that God demands an accounting for my sin so He nailed His Son to a tree for it.

Yes, really. Love is patient. You need look no further than the cross for an example.

Really.

Today starts a brief series I am going to do on my reflections on the “Love Chapter” (1 Corinthians 13). This morning started off with a bang. Paul gets right to the point doesn’t he? Imagine you were talking to someone and they said that they could do the following:

• Speak in tongues
• Prophecy
• Understand the mystery of God and are all knowing
• Literally move mountains
• Give all they have to the poor
• Surrender their body as a sacrifice

I’m not sure about you, but that is a pretty strong resume. I would be impressed. I’d drop their name in conversations with others if I knew them. I’d say things like “I know this dude that can literally move mountains” and other people would probably want to meet this person too. Here’s the crazy thing…according to Paul, they have NOTHING.

Zero

Zilch

Nada

All of the other stuff means nothing if they are missing one huge thing….love.

Ouch.

What Paul is saying is that it’s like having a Ferrari with no gas, an iPad with no batteries, a basketball hoop with no basketball and a pool with no water. To do these things and posses them is wonderful but without the most important thing…you basically have nothing. We as people and a Church can do some wonderful things in our communities. But I wonder how often we do them as an act of love. John 13:35 says:

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”

As we move through this week and continue to look at this Chapter, let’s set our baseline with love being the driver for all we do. On our resume, let’s make it the top “achievement” and “goal and objective”. We’ll look closer at what it means to love as we go forward, but if we set this as our baseline, we can know that our acts will be based on the right thing. It’s all about love.

I might be alone in this one but when I go to a sporting event and have to do stand for the National Anthem, I don’t often consider the words and take them to heart. I just repeat it in monotone like everyone else in the ballpark. When it’s over, it’s back to the game.

I’m just being honest.

This week I read that Carrie Underwood surprised her new husband at their wedding by having Brandon Heath sing his song “Love Never Fails” (below) for their first dance. I have been keeping that song warm all week and repeating the lyrics in my head. Incredible song.

I wonder if I haven’t been treating the Love chapter found in 1 Corinthians 13 like I treat the National Anthem. Deep down I know it’s really important and deserves my respect, but whenever I read or hear it, I just mumble through it like there’s a ballgame waiting to be played when I’m finished.

I’m just being honest.

Over the next few weeks I am going to spend time really reading through 1 Corinthians 13. I plan on doing a series of posts reflecting on some of the verses as well. If you feel like you have been treating these important verses like the National Anthem too, then join me won’t you? Maybe together we will discover new things about this crazy little thing called love.

Journey starts on Monday.

Last week I spent a few days at “The Mothership” (our Corporate Headquarters) doing some strategic planning. Since I had not been there in awhile, it provided an opportunity to get my yearly review out of the way. Thankfully, the review was positive. I would have been well pleased had it not been for some “discussion” that took place as we talked about future advancement and opportunities. It was at this point that the following comment was made:

“Aaron, while staying in Columbus isn’t hurting you (career wise), it certainly isn’t helping you either”

Before you start asking for our new address, let me be clear in saying that this isn’t the first time this conversation has taken place. Moving to Indianapolis has been in the back of our minds as long as I have been with my current employer. As my position within the organization has grown, so has the discussion. It has never been a “You have to” talk, just a “you might consider”. At the end of the day, this is all about my career with this organization and if I ever want to go to “the next level”.

Numbers 9:16 tells the story of a large cloud above the Tabernacle. It was the guide for the Israelites to know when God was moving them.

^“16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. ¹⁸ At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.”

Oh to have that cloud. Seems pretty straight forward to me. Especially with the technology we have at our disposal these days. I could just dial up the local Doppler and know exactly when the cloud was moving. It’s not that simple anymore is it? I know so many that are looking for the cloud, seeking wisdom, discernment, something…anything. They just want to know if “this is God’s will”. It doesn’t have to involve a moving truck either. It could be a relationship, a job, a church. We’re seeking a cloud and wondering when it will move.

I am currently not planning on moving to Indianapolis. I just know I want to be obedient. If God has larger opportunities that involve my family and I relocating then I want to be obedient and available. If His plan is to walk away from one opportunity to stay because the cloud didn’t move then I want to be obedient and available. If he’s got a major shift in the cloud that I’m not even aware of, then I want to be obedient and available.

It’s the least I can do. He’s always been faithful.

It’s been nearly 24 hours since a very difficult conference call and I’m still a little cheesed about it. I tried everything I could last night to get over it. I cut the grass. I went for a run. I watched a movie. I woke up this morning and sure enough, it’s still on my mind. I’ve been trying to let it go, move on, think of other more important things and yet it keeps popping up. The only way I can explain it is to use a lyric from one of my favorite all-time songs, “The Living Years” by Mike and the Mechanics.

“We all talk a different language talking in defense”

Yesterday’s conference call was a text book example of the different personality styles that HR Departments usually use to identify their employees. You can find the entire list HERE, but let’s look at two specific groups – Expressive and Driver.

Expressive - Very outgoing and enthusiastic, with a high energy level. They are also great idea generators, but usually do not have the ability to see the idea through to completion. They enjoy helping others and are particularly fond of socializing. They are usually slow to reach a decision. Often thought of as a talker, overly dramatic, impulsive, and manipulative.

Driver - They thrive on the thrill of the challenge and the internal motivation to succeed. Drivers are practical folks who focus on getting results. They can do a lot in a very short time. They usually talk fast, direct and to the point. Often viewed as decisive, direct and pragmatic.

I’ll give you one guess which one I am and it’s not Driver. I am a textbook example of an Expressive. You can imagine what happens when you pit an “Expressive” against a “Driver”. The results can be toxic. I dream. I’m impulsive. I like to cast a vision and let others “figure out the details”. Drivers want those details to accompany the vision. They want the answers to the impulse. When you don’t have them they tend to react in a very direct way. Both people begin to “talk in defense”. Not much gets accomplished because “Expressive’s” get hurt, defensive and start talking more. Drivers get mad, frustrated and react more. Each defending their position.

Personality training classes will tell you we need to be able to mold to other personality types. It is important to understand that we are all different. Our differences are actually a blessing. If it wasn’t for drivers, the vision and ideas of expressive’s would never come to pass. Drivers work out the details and ask the tough questions. I am trying to remember that today and back away from my defense of my position to see another side.

It doesn’t mean I like it though….