Posts Tagged ‘love’
Love Bear
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
Love Bears the Load
“Love Bears the Load”
Love does a lot of heavy lifting. I was reading this morning about the amount the baby-boomer generation is sacrificing to care for sick and infirm parents and older relatives. In financial terms alone through forfeited income, early retirement, lowered pension and social security benefits, and out of pocket expenses the cost is quite significant, averaging in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The article went on to describe the toll on the caregivers physically in some detail as well. Beyond the financial and physical cost is the emotional and psychological stress care giving exacts. But this is just one illustration of love’s heavy lifting. There are countless others. That’s because by its’ nature love is giving. Love that is not prepared or willing to bear another’s burden is not really love.
The Greek word “Stegō”, translated “Bear” in 1 Corinthians 13:7 ["Love bears all things"] also means “To roof over”.
Love “roofs over”. What might that mean? First of all, it indicates love must have structure. A roof doesn’t just hang in the air. A roof is supported by structure, by walls. The walls take time to build, and love takes time to grow sturdy enough to “bear” another’s burden. In construction the walls upon which the roof is set are referred to as “load bearing” walls. Our love must be of “load bearing” quality.
A little deeper digging reveals that the idea being expressed here by “Stegō” is “to roof over with silence.” Love bears by covering the one loved, even with silence when necessary. This harkens back to what we learned about love not being easily provoked, and not keeping score of wrongs suffered. Love that bears is ready to cover the shortcomings of the person loved. Love is also ready to not make an issue of not being reciprocated. That is another way love “roofs over”; treating others the way it would like to be treated, even when they don’t.
A final sense of the word “Stegō” is the idea that love “Bears up under”. A person walking in love is prepared to bear up under pressures that will test that love, or stretch it. Forbearance and longsuffering are two essentials character qualities of the person walking in love.
Love is ready to carry the burden of another, “roof over” with silence another’s short comings, or not being treated in kind, and “bear up under”, the pressures against such love being displayed. It’s quite a tall order fellow Mountain Taker. Aren’t you glad we aren’t on our own?! No wonder love is such a strong demonstration of the Kingdom of God. It’s His nature displayed!
About the Author
Carl is the Founder and President of Mountain Takers Inc.; a Training and Coaching enterprise, dedicated to “Equipping exceptional people to achieve extraordinary results.”
Coupling his own marketing and business experience with 30+ years of coaching, counseling, training and leading people through all manner of life situations in his role as a pastor, he comes to the task uniquely prepared. Through public teaching, private counseling and coaching, as well as his numerous published wokrs, he has helped individuals and organizations on four continents discover their purpose and learn what it means to be empowered to “take their mountain” of influence. Carl also sends out a weekly email E-ncouragement that is received in more than a dozen nations. At Mountain Takers Inc., “Your Success is Our Passion”.
LOVE AND BEARS
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SweetBytes Sandwich Crust Cutter- Heart Shape $2.01 SweetBytes Sandwich Crust Cutter- Heart Shape Crust Cutters are unique sandwich cutters that cut the crust off of bread while creating cute and fun shapes. Crust Cutters are available in 2 cute designs, DynoBytes and SweetBytes, which make dinosaur and heart shapes respectively. They are great for kids, parties, and just for fun! Create a surprise in their lunchboxes that is sure to make them s… |
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Oneida Cubby Bear 6-Piece Progress Flatware Set $24.95 Fine 18/10 Stainless Steel Flatware. Baby Fork, Baby Spoon, Feeder Spoon. Child Knife, Child Fork And Child Spoon. Features A Friendly Little Bear Cub. Full Handle Is Easy For A Child To Hold. Gift Box, Hand Washing Recommended…. |
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Care Bear Pink Baby Toddler Feeding Spoon Fork Set $6.99 Sweet Care Bear Spoon & Fork set Perfect for Baby or Toodler. The set is made of plastic and has a Rainbow and Care Bear baby written on the handle. The Spoon & Fork are 5 1/2 inches long…. |
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Elv1s 30 #1 Hits $4.72 In 1987, RCA released a one-disc Elvis compilation called The Number One Hits that featured 18 tracks. So how did the label come up with 12 additional number ones (13 if you count the sensational “A Little Less Conversation” remix that brings the King into the 21st century as a bona fide dance/electronica star)? Well, the ‘87 compilation featured only Billboard number ones. “In the Ghetto” and “Bu… |
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Disney’s Sing Along Songs – The Lion King Circle of Life $5.57 SING ALONG SONGS:LION KING CIRCLE – DVD Movie… |
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Unplugged $5.97 Clapton caught the “unplugged” trend just at the right time, when the public was hungry to hear how well rock stars and their material can hold up when stripped of elaborate production values. Clapton himself seemed baffled by the phenomenon, especially when picking up the armload of Grammys Unplugged earned him, including Record and Song of the Year for “Tears in Heaven,” the heart-rending elegy … |
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I Love You, Little Bear $5.21 I Love You, Little Bear |
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Bear in Love $9.69 Captivated by her nose-twitching, a smitten bear tries to win the affections of a lovely bunny. |
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Tender Love Plush Bear with Cross $10.99 Includes (1) teddy bear with cross. |
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Emily Bear – The Love in Us $18.95 By Emily Bear. Piano Solo Personality. Softcover. 48 pages. Published by Hal Leonard |
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Love Cannot Bear $15.19 Although Robert Fripp’s Love Cannot Bear only contains two previously released tracks, it could almost serve as an overview of his Frippertronic/Soundscapes work, since it spans the entire span of this aspect of his music: 1983-2005. Over this time, not o |
