Productive Wilderness Life Series (Part 9) – Integrating the Father’s Love
Expressing Fathers Love – Facilitating Love Environments
By expressing Fathers love we can create a culture of love, inclusion, and valuing of others.
As we allow God’s sanctifying work in us through our wilderness life experiences loving others is the natural fruit that occurs.
“People become more important in our life. Accepting, trusting and affiliating become easier. One becomes more at home with the family of humankind, wherever and whomever.” (Ward p.14)
Practically Expressed
Practically Expressing Fathers Love can be done with some practical tools: touch, eye contact, tone of voice, smiles, hugs, handshakes, and laughter, all work well to show others their incredible value in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.
Col. 3:12-14 — Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Romans 12:10 — be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Ephesians 4:2 — Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Showing Interest
This is another huge way to show people their value and help them feel safe enough to open their hearts to love.
We can show interest by asking people questions. This honors them and reveals that you are safe, not judgmental or critical. It helps create an atmosphere of trust and intimacy which allows them the freedom to open up to Father’s love and have an encounter with Him. You can tell because their face lights up and you can see how they love to explain things.
A good heart check is examining how much time you spend talking about yourself versus truly asking others about their lives.
Be Careful of Devaluing
This also is in looks, attitude, body gestures, frustrations, etc.
2 Corinthians 6:3 — we put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
It is important to remember that none of us walks this out perfectly. Part of growing in the Father’s love is not feeling condemned when you make mistakes. We simply repent and quickly receive God’s forgiveness. We’ve grown past the mask of shame that says we can never show weakness. This allows us to learn from our mistakes and continue to grow as a son.
Our final post in this series next time will cover Your Call to the Nations.
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