"The Power of Love"

In March, Austin Perine, 4 years old, was watching a television show on pandas with his dad and teenage brother.  The mother panda left the cub and it was mentioned that the cub would be homeless.  When asked what homeless meant, Austin’s dad replied, “It’s somebody who doesn’t have a mom and dad around.”  To show his son the meaning of homelessness, he took Austin to see the men and women outside the city shelter in Birmingham.  Touched by the experience, Austin asked if he could use his allowance and birthday money to feed the hungry people.  Although he wasn’t expecting to feed the homeless, his father took him to Burger King to buy chicken sandwiches and drinks to give to the people outside the Firehouse Ministries Shelter.

Austin has taken his mission to heart.  He forgoes new toys in order to buy food and drinks to feed the homeless.  Once a week, his dad, TJ Perine, takes Austin to the shelter to give away “food and smiles.”  Austin wears a bright red satin cape and a shirt with “#ShowLove” across the front of it.  When he arrives each week, Austin is met with high fives and pats on the shoulder.  After giving the people their sandwich, drink, and hug, he reminds the recipients, “Don’t forget to show love.”  Moved by Austin’s heart and generosity, Burger King is giving Austin $1,000 a month for a year to help him feed the homeless.

What a delight and privilege to hear Bishop Michael Curry, the current presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, speak of “The Power of Love” at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.  The soon to be Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose the scripture text from Song of Solomon for him to use in their wedding ceremony.

Excerpts from Bishop Curry’s message:

From the Song of Solomon 8:6 in the Bible: Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.

Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world a new world, for love is the only way."

There is something right about it [love]. And there's a reason for it. The reason has to do with the source. We were made by a power of love, and our lives were meant - and are meant - to be lived in that love. That's why we are here.

Ultimately, the source of love is God himself: the source of all of our lives.

The New Testament says it this way: "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God, and those who love are born of God and know God. Those who do not love do not know God. Why? For God is love." 1 John 4:7-8

There’s power in love.  There’s power in love to help and heal when nothing else can.

Jesus said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."

And then in Matthew's version, he added, he said: "On these two, love of God and love of neighbor, hang all the law, all the prophets, everything that Moses wrote, everything in the holy prophets, everything in the scriptures, everything that God has been trying to tell the world ... love God, love your neighbors, and while you're at it, love yourself."

Someone once said that Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history.  A movement grounded in the unconditional love of God for the world - and a movement mandating people to live that love, and in so doing to change not only their lives but the very life of the world itself.  I'm talking about power. Real power. Power to change the world.

He died to save us all.  He didn't die for anything he could get out of it. Jesus did not get an honorary doctorate for dying. He wasn't getting anything out of it. He gave up his life, he sacrificed his life, for the good of others, for the good of the other, for the wellbeing of the world... for us.

That's what love is. Love is not selfish and self-centered. Love can be sacrificial, and in so doing, becomes redemptive. And that way of unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love changes lives, and it can change this world.

Think and imagine a world where love is the way.

Imagine our homes and families where love is the way. 
Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way.

Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. 
Imagine business and commerce where this love is the way

Imagine this tired old world where love is the way. 
When love is the way - unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive.

When love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again.

When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook.

When love is the way, poverty will become history. 
When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary.

When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields, down by the riverside, to study war no more.

When love is the way, there's plenty good room - plenty good room - for all of God's children.

Because when love is the way, we actually treat each other, well... like we are actually family.

When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all, and we are brothers and sisters, children of God.

My brothers and sisters, that's a new heaven, a new earth, a new world, a new human family.

Dr. King was right:  “We must discover love - the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world, a new world.”

In these coming days, may we, too, take every opportunity to share, live, experience, and show the power of God’s love.

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

John 13:35

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:10

Milestones

Milestones help mark significant events and accomplishments.  This month will be full of celebratory moments of anniversaries, graduations, and other milestones that are marked and acknowledged.  Goals have been set and achieved.  Some have been completed after a few days or months while others have been in process for years.    

Last weekend was a time of remembering, rejoicing, giving thanks, and celebrating Duane Brooks’ 20th anniversary as pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church.  God has worked in and through Duane to model, challenge, convict, encourage, inspire, and lead us to trust and obey God. 

Family, friends, and people in our community are checking off lists of things to complete after the destruction of Hurricane Harvey.  Some are just now moving back into their homes, even if they are not completely restored, while others are continuing to count down the days until they can return.

The season for graduations is also upon us. I look forward to this time of year as goals are accomplished, one chapter ends and another begins, and milestones are reached.  I also enjoy the inspirational and motivational charges that are given by the commencement speakers.  Sometimes I have heard about the person who is giving the speech, but this year I know two of the people who spoke at university graduations.  Because of the milestones they have reached, Frank Jimenez and Robyn Bateman Driskell were chosen to speak at their alma maters. 

Frank Jimenez was one of the young people at University Baptist Church in Coral Gables, Florida, where Larry was the Minister to Youth.  The Jimenez family had come from Cuba to live in Miami.  Frank graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Biology.  He attended and graduated from Yale Law School and then received a MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  Among different jobs, Frank worked for a law firm in Miami, was Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was the 21^st General Counsel of the U. S. Department of the Navy and is now the Vice-President, general counsel and corporate secretary of Raytheon Company.  In speaking to the graduates at the University of Miami, Frank challenged the graduates to be willing to take risks.  He also spoke about how at times there are other people who throw the switch to help encourage us on our journey and there are times when it is our turn to turn on the switch to help light the way for others to achieve success.

Dr. Robyn Bateman Driskell, who was in the youth group at Tallowood, gave one of the commencement addresses at Baylor University.  After graduating from Baylor, Robyn earned her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University.  Robyn returned to Baylor as a Professor of Sociology.  Later she also served as the Divisional Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences as well as the Department of Sociology’s Graduate Program Director.  Robyn is currently the Chief of Staff to the President and is Vice President of Board Relations at Baylor.  Robyn spoke, on behalf of President Livingstone, of the importance of sharing the light of Jesus wherever you go.  There were also four graduates who spoke of others who had invested in them during university days so that they could now go out and help light the way for others.

Milestones are rarely reached by one person alone. There are times we all need help along the way.  And then there are occasions where it is our time to be the cheerleader, encourager, and helper for someone else on their journey.  It is good to pause and acknowledge our milestones and remember the ways God has provided and will continue to provide for us and others.  For the sake of another milestone, it’s time to pick up the torch and let Jesus’ light shine the way.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:5-6

Using What You Have

Since they were 5 years old, Shaquem Griffin and his twin brother, Shaquill, have dreamed of playing together in the NFL.  Due to a congenital condition, Shaquem’s left hand was amputated when he was four years old, but that didn’t stop him from playing sports.  Shaquem and Shaquiull both excelled in baseball, football, and track in high school and earned athletic scholarships to University of Central Florida.  Some people thought that Shaquem was offered a place on the team in order to make sure Shaquill would agree to play for the UCF Knights.  For two years Shaquem didn’t get to suit out for games, but he persevered.  He never complained because he didn’t want to take away from the success Shaquill was experiencing.  If they had any doubts, the coaches and fans were soon surprised and pleased.  Shaquem Griffin eventually played linebacker, was a 2 year starter, and earned 1st team All-American Athlete both seasons.  In 2016, he was voted “American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year” and was also chosen as the MVP at the Peach Bowl ending the 2017 season 13-0.

Shaquill Griffin opted to enter the NFL draft early and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks.  On January 30, Shaquem was issued an invitation to participate in the scouting combine for the NFL draft.  With the use of a prosthetic hand, he bench-pressed 225 lbs 20 times.  In the 40-yard dash, Shaquem’s 4.38 seconds was the fastest for a linebacker since 2003.  That was also the same time his brother ran last year as a cornerback.

Shaquem, Shaquill, and family watched the NFL draft from a hotel in Dallas.  Shaquem was selected in the 5th round to play for the Seattle Seahawks.  The brothers’ dream is coming true.  They will be playing on the same NFL team this season.  Shaquem is also making history as the first player with only one hand to be drafted by a NFL team. 

Some quotes from Shaquem’s interviews:

“I’m convinced that God has put me on this earth for a reason, and that reason is to show people that it doesn’t matter what anybody else says because people are going to doubt you regardless.”

“I don’t define myself by my successes.  I define myself by adversity and how I’ve persevered.”

“I don’t want to be a guy who’s just a feel-good story.  I want to be a football player and a good one at that.”

“I’m blessed to have thick skin.  But I’m even more blessed to have a family that never let me make excuses and who raised me to never listen to anybody who told me I couldn’t do something – especially because of my hand.”

No excuses.  Shaquem Griffin had a dream and a goal and he was willing to continually work hard to pursue it.  Instead of dwelling on what he was missing, he embraced what he did have and used it to overcome and compensate for what was lacking.  His story is also a reminder of how important it is to use our words as gifts to build people up and encourage them.                                                                   

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

Show me your ways, LORD,

     teach me your paths.

Psalm 25:4

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Romans 5:3-4

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29