The Pursuit of Love - Day 318 Month 11-13 Week 44-3
The Pursuit of Love
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Ezra 7:11-8:20, Job 36, Micah 7, 2 Peter 1
Last night, Sylvia attended our growth group (a small gathering from our church to discuss scripture). We got into a discussion on the difference between willpower and self-control. We have one person in the group who studied philosophy and he is simply one of those deep thinkers. He suggested that maybe willpower is one of those tools we use in the short term to fight off temptation while self-control is the accumulated strength that is built up over a longer period of time.
It was a very interesting topic because we were really trying to determine at what point does the Holy Spirit give us the strength to fight off temptation. So how does human willpower compare to self-control?
I have met some people with incredible willpower. I know of one woman who was a chain smoker and decided to quit. One day, she simply quit. She left one cigarette in the glove compartment of her car to remind her of the addiction but never smoked it. I haven’t seen her in probably 30 years now but I don’t think she ever started smoking again. She was not a Jesus follower. I know lots of Jesus followers who have tried to quit smoking multiple times and have failed and I know other Jesus followers who have quit several times and eventually did stop.
My willpower is weak. Food is one of my weaknesses. It’s one of the reasons I love pot luck meals. There is usually way more food than what I need but I will eat. I love snacks too. If there’s chips in the house, I am eyeing them all day waiting for the appropriate time, usually when we watch a movie or show at night to innocently say “chips?” The response from Syl usually is “you know if you bring them down my hands will be in it.” Not only is my willpower weak but I manage to break down hers too. Some may have strong willpower but as I’ve admitted some don’t.
We read in 2 Peter 1:5-8 this challenge:
“applying all diligence,
in your faith supply moral excellence,
and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
and in your knowledge, self-control,
and in your self-control, perseverance,
and in your perseverance, godliness,
and in your godliness, brotherly kindness,
and in your brotherly kindness, love.”
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The apostle Peter seems to suggest my philosopher friend may be on to something. Peter gives us a progression of qualities that we are to develop as we grow in our faith. Self-control is one of those qualities, but it doesn't stand alone. It is connected to perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and ultimately love. Peter begins by telling us to apply all diligence. In other words, we have a part to play in developing these qualities. We don't just sit back and wait for the Holy Spirit to do all the work. We are to actively pursue becoming more like Jesus. At the same time, we aren't doing it through our own strength alone. All of these qualities reflect the character of Jesus.
A person does not need to be a Jesus follower to pursue moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, and perseverance with an end goal of being loving. There are lots of good people out there in this world who can fit most or all of those goals.
I intentionally left one phrase out of verse 5. That phrase was “Now for this reason also” referring to verse 4. Verse 4 states “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
We have been given the opportunity to become partakers of God's divine nature through the Holy Spirit. Peter isn't saying that we have escaped this world, but that through God's promises we have escaped the corruption that is in it. We are still living in this world, but we no longer have to be shaped by the things that corrupt it. I'll simply say that we've been given the opportunity to live as people who belong to Jesus' kingdom.
For me, in gratitude for that gift, I want to pursue moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Of course that brings us full circle back to Jesus’ teaching to “love your neighbour as yourself.” We pursue all of these traits out of gratitude, and they lead us towards a life shaped by love.
Have a great day!
Steve
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