Title: Three Definitions of Love
John 21 (11) The three definitions of love (John 21:11)
“Decrease your self-esteem and increase your self-esteem”
There are many today who can't stand being self-deprecating. It is good to have a strong “self-esteem” that one takes responsibility for and bears burdens, but it is a problem if only one has a “self-esteem” that knows that only oneself is valuable. If you have strong self-esteem, you can't stand the situation where your self-esteem is hurting. On the other hand, a person with strong self-esteem is not discouraged by any difficult situation. On the inside, he has tremendous courage, but on the outside he is very warm and soft.
This is the story of Aesop's fables. When the tree saw the reed, it laughed and shunned it. "you stupid! Do you crouch before the wind? Stay upright like me!” Then one day, when a great typhoon blew, the tree was uprooted, but the reeds sang in the wind. To be gentle, warm, and soft is what is really strong. There are many people who fail because of their strong self-esteem.
In Judges 8, among the 12 tribes of Israel, there is a tribe with strong pride. It is the tribe of Ephraim. They quarreled when Gideon returned from the battle with Midian. “Why didn't you call us when you went to war? Can you treat me like this?”
When Gideon told him to go to war, he didn't even listen, but when he came back after winning the war, he argued like that. Gideon comforted him with soft words. “Will my work be compared with yours? Your last grapes are better than our first ones.” Then the anger of the people of Ephraim was relieved.
A similar thing occurs in Judges 12. When Jephthah was recruiting an army for the war against Ammon, the Ephraimites were bitter, but when they returned from the battle, they had an argument. “Why didn't you call us when you went to war? I will burn you and your house down!” Then Jephthah, who had a fiery personality, struck Ephraim, saying, “You pretended not to know during the war, but now that you have won the battle, do you have an argument?” At that time, 42,000 Ephraimites died.
Tragedy happens when you insist too much on your ego. Regional conflicts also arise because of persistence. When it comes to elections, character theory, policy theory, vision theory, and governmental action are all useless because of stubbornness. If it's like mine, I like it unconditionally, and if it's like the other side, I hate it. Saints should live as meekly, warmly, and tenderly as possible. That was the life of Jesus. The text clearly shows the face of Jesus.
< What is love? >
In verse 10, Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” In verse 11, Peter immediately brought the nets to shore. The great fish caught in the net were one hundred and fifty three. It is rare for a fisherman to carefully count each fish in a net. Then, who accurately counted 153 meats, and why did the Bible write 153 meats? The number tells the situation and atmosphere at the time.
Who counted the meat? Perhaps Peter was counting. Why did Peter count the meat? Because of his own fault, Peter was reluctant to see the face of the Lord. However, it was impossible to see the distant mountains. To avoid such an awkward situation, Peter was counting the meat one by one, while his heart was on the Lord. “One, two, three.... One hundred, two, one hundred, three....” The Lord was looking down at him. That scene makes you realize what love is. what is love
1. Love is understanding
The Lord read and understood the heart of Peter's desire for the Lord in the way he smoked. Love is understanding. The number one reason many couples struggle today is a lack of understanding. Without understanding, you become ferocious; with understanding you become soft.
Some husbands are infinitely weak to others and infinitely strong only to their wives. When my wife says one word, she yells, “It’s okay without even knowing it!” They do not know that the world has changed, so it is said that there is a divorce at dusk. You cannot understand everything because you are human, but do your best to understand. If you don't understand, you'll have a hard time turning back later.
One day, at a Catholic church in the countryside, a boy who was helping a priest during a Sunday Mass made a mistake and dropped a bowl of wine for the sacrament. Then the priest slapped the boy on the cheek and shouted. “You have committed a great sin against God. Never appear on the altar again!” After that, the boy stayed away from the church all his life and became obsessed with communism. This is Tito, the former president of Yugoslavia.
Conversely, in some churches, the priest comforted the trembling boy in the same situation. "Hey! Okay. God will understand! I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger too!” The boy later became the famous Archbishop Hulton Sheen. When a person is understood, in the end, the person who understands becomes a timber that is used beyond expectations.
2. Love is sponsoring
In the text, the Lord watched in silence as Peter counted the meat in silence. The silence between the two shows how much the Lord loved his disciples, and how much the disciples also loved the Lord. As the love deepens, the sound fades away, leaving only the deep gaze, silent devotion, and prayer in an unseen place.
I have one distinct characteristic that has changed since I got to know the Lord. It means that he talks less and makes less noise than before. Love requires a confession, but sometimes quietly watching and supporting can be more loving. God's love is like that. God usually loves me in silence. Sometimes it is so lovely to watch the children play. God sees me that way too. Most of the true love of parents unfolds quietly.
A man broke his arm while playing when he was young. When I got home, my mother said nothing. "Hey! Okay! You have to break your arm to grow strong!” Hearing that, I thought, “That’s my mom!” how cruel her mother looked. But that night, I was so sick that I woke up quietly, and my mother was praying, holding her arm and crying. That image is the heart of a mother and the heart of Jesus.
Sometimes, when children are upset and have a sad expression on their face, they say “It’s okay!” on the outside, but on the inside, their heart aches and they earnestly pray for their children. Love can be deeper in silence. Like God's love that works in silence, show love through actions that are quieter than words.
3. Love is waiting
In the text, the Lord loved Peter, so he smoked and waited until he counted all 153 meats. An impatient person says, “Put it away! Is now the time to count meat?” But love is not hasty. Love is long-suffering.
It's nice to think that those who leave are leaving for a better place, but those who remain are very sad. At that time, even though he looks calm on the outside, he burns black on the inside. Whenever I get upset and pray, I hear the comforting voice of Jesus. “What are you doing with that? I have not heard a single word of thanks, even for giving my life.” In fact, the disciples disappointed Jesus a lot, but Jesus loved them to the end.
love is waiting Life is sustained because of that love. Sometimes when I think of the past, I have a lot of shame. Still, when I think of the good churches, saints, good families, and friends that God has given me, I feel the love of God who is patiently waiting for me. God's love is unchanging. That love is the foundation of life and the foundation of hope. Be patient and there is nothing to lose. If you work hard and wait patiently, the best path will surely unfold.