More Thoughts on Contagious Love...

Can you say? “I am loved!” “I am one who God loves.”

I am giggling a bit as I type this…picturing a little girl twirling about in her fancy dress proclaiming not only her beauty but how loved she is. Or in my house there are no little girls twirling in dresses; but little boys proclaiming their exquisiteness in their own unique ways.

Why do we sometimes shy away from proclaiming this? I’m guessing we either don’t feel loved and worthy or we don’t want people to think we are conceited and full of pride.

Where is the balance…the middle ground of proclaiming God’s gifts to us?

Can we all speak with such boldness and stoutheartedness like Mary when she said, “From now on all generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48) I love that my NIV Bible commentary addresses this stating,

"When Mary said, "From now on all generations will call me blessed," was she being proud? No, she was recognizing and accepting the gift God had given her. If Mary had denied her incredible position, she would have been throwing God's blessing back at him. Pride is refusing to accept God's gifts or taking credit for what God has done; humility is accepting the gifts and using them to praise and serve God. Don't deny, belittle, or ignore your gifts. Thank God for them and use them to his glory."

I am also so tickled that one of the fisherman, Jesus’ friend calls himself, “The disciple whom Jesus loved.” (This is referenced 4 times in the book he wrote titled, John).
Do you know what it is to be loved? I thought I knew what love was…but it wasn’t until I met Jesus that I really knew what it meant to be loved.

Honestly, I sometimes think our culture is a bit twisted with the meaning of love…we can get so caught up in it…starved for it and even thinking that we don’t need it. All of these perspectives are unhealthy.

How does someone who knows and believes that he is loved act? If you are considered beloved, how do others describe you, but even more importantly, how do you describe yourself?
Acting out our belovedness (I know I just made up this word) is contagious!!! And this is the kind of fever I want to catch.

So to help catch this…I thought it would help to learn a bit more about John. I was recently reading what John, the beloved disciple had to say about Jesus and who He is to us and what His love really means. May you beloved, be blessed in what I found and reflected on:

John 6:35: He is the Bread of Life…say with me,

“My spiritual hunger is sustained with Jesus.”
John 8:12: He is the Light of the World…say with me,

“I will not walk in darkness with Jesus, for He makes any darkness I encounter full of light.”
John 10:7-9: He is the Gate for the sheep…say with me,

“I am safe and protected with Jesus.”
John 10:11-14: He is the Good Shepherd…say with me,

“I am known and loved by Jesus.”
John 11:25: He is the Resurrection and the Life…say with me,

“I will always LIVE with Jesus.”
John 14:6: He is the Way, the Truth and the Life…say with me,

“I have a secure path with Jesus.”
John 15:1: He is the TRUE Vine…say with me,

“I have a prosperous, fruitful life with Jesus.”

We will act what we believe and we will believe what we keep saying to ourselves.
Hoping you catch Jesus’ contagious love this Christmas.

And proclaim it…shout it out in your own way!