Andy Park

Unlock Love, post #2 

“Love is patient…”  This is the first descriptor of love Paul gives us in the famous “love chapter” from his letter to the Corinthians.  If God is love, and love is patient, then God is patient with you and I.  He is way more patient with us than we are with ourselves.  Sometimes I think, “I can’t believe I’m still struggling in this area of my thought life.”  But God says, “Cheer up!  Just keep going, keep growing, keep letting me love you.” (I guess that must be from the gospel of Andrew). 😉 

Yahweh was always this gracious.  He “passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”  Meditate on this and it will help you have a good day! 

“Love endures all things.”  God happily endures with us through our struggles and failures.  Put those two attributes of love together and you have, “God patiently endures with us.”  God is not against us, he is for us.  He doesn’t want you to go around in a cloud of frustration because you stumbled and made a mistake.  And, it’s not just something he does to us; he endures with us.  He is inside of us, alongside of us, above and below us, and ONE with us.  He empathizes with us when we struggle.  He rejoices with us when we overcome.  He abides with us when we genuinely want to walk in his love-agenda. 

To unlock love in our lives, we must open the gates of our minds and emotions to receive his love!  If we are going to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves,” we have to start by loving ourselves.  Then we’ll be cheerful, feel good about ourselves and be able to live with a buoyant spirit.  We can withstand opposition and a multitude of problems when we know God’s unwavering love. 

Jesus asked the Father, “that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (1).” The same love the Father has for Jesus is poured out on us! 

Have a love-filled day.

I love this picture of the angel over the city for several reasons.  It depicts angels as being real, powerful, and very concerned about our cities and the people that live in them.  The sweet, fluffy angels you see on Hallmark greeting cards present angels as an endearing Christmas-time myth rather than as powerful emissaries of God.  

Why is there skepticism about angels being real and active on earth?  Because we live in the scientific age, which has programmed us to doubt the existence of other-worldly beings.  Last time I checked, the whole of Christianity is founded on other-worldly stuff! 

A survey of angelic appearances in the Bible show us they function as messengers, guides, comforters and protectors.  There are also warrior angels.  They often show up at times of birth and death, and in moments of danger and crisis.  A few examples:  the angel at the tomb of Jesus who encouraged the two women who came looking for Jesus.  The angel who appeared to Zechariah to tell him his wife would bear a son in her old age.  

How about Cornelieus?  “He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”   Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.  The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”  (Acts 10). 

And of course, the angel who let Peter out of prison (Acts 12):  “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”  This one makes me smile because I regularly encounter being zapped with a small electric shock by an angel to wake me up at night.  It’s God’s means of inviting me into a night-watch conversation with him.  (I’m not saying this is what he does with everyone – I have no idea how many people experience electric zaps.  I suspect I’m not the only one).  

The way I see it, you receive what you believe.  If you believe in Jesus, you get salvation.  If you believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, they are available to you.  If you believe that angels still function today as they did in Bible times, then you will benefit from their encouragement, presence and guidance.  But if you reject any one of these things, you will not receive the blessing they bring. 

In the past year I have had many encounters with angels.  It is now a regular part of my life.  Prior to that, I would occasionally be aware of the presence of an angel as I was worshiping, and one time I had an open vision of an angel on the platform of Anaheim Vineyard while Todd Hunter was leading a ministry time (somewhere around the year 1990). 

But after listening to some teaching and stories from people who regularly encounter angels, I asked God to bring that into my life if he desired.  In a matter of hours, I received a visitation from an angel. 

It would be ridiculous to worship an angel, but very sensible to treat them as friends.  Many people in the Bible had conversations with angels.  The messages I receive from angels are not unlike hearing directly from God.  It isn’t an audible voice, but a strong impression, and sometimes very specific.  You know that the thoughts you are receiving and not originating in your own mind.  And you are aware of the presence of another being in the room besides yourself. 

The advice I’ve received is to welcome and honor angels.  Just a simple, “I welcome you and honor you.”  It’s not unlike welcoming the Holy Spirit.  Another thing you can try is asking God to introduce you to your personal angel if he so desires.  You can also ask the Lord to reveal the name of the angel that is assigned to you. God dispatches the angels for different purposes in all kinds of times and places.  Don’t worry about getting obsessed with angels.  If you get too angel-happy, they probably will not show up because they don’t like to be worshipped.  They know that kind of honor is reserved only for God.  Just remember they are one means by which God helps and strengthens us (see Bible).   

In my limited experience, it is very clear that there are different types of angels who have different responsibilities, realms of authority and assignments from God.  Angels such as Gabriel are at the top of the angel hierarchy.  They carry a huge amount of power and the scope of their work is global.  But most of the angels that I regularly encounter are the kind that are sent to minister to each one of us on a regular basis. 

I receive great comfort and encouragement from the presence and words of angels.  I know that the beginning of experiencing angels was my repeated prayer, “God I want more of you. Please show me more of yourself and show me what to do.”  I want and need every kind of help God wants to give me because life is challenging!  Why would we refuse an obvious and proven means of God’s blessing such as angelic beings?

This Saturday, March 14, I will release a new song called “Sailing Free.”  As a kid, I had the good fortune of enjoying the sport of sailing.  My Dad restored and built a few boats that we sailed in the ocean harbors of southern California.  Moving under the power of God’s wind in a small boat can be wonderfully peaceful, and sometimes exhilarating and risky.  

There is something magical and mystical about the ocean – it’s a huge body of water that contains all kinds of beautiful and bizarre creatures.  It’s bursting with life that contains the DNA of the Creator.  It’s easy for me to feel God’s presence around the ocean. 

Life is kind of like sailing – when conditions are just right, it can be really peaceful or fun.  But you can’t count on good weather all the time.  When the wind is too strong, or non-existent, sailing isn’t so much fun.  If the ocean waves are too rough, or the air is too cold, you don’t want to be on the water.  In life as in sailing, we learn to follow Jesus’ example.  He knew how to rest and stay calm in a small boat amidst howling wind and crashing waves. 

The song Sailing Free describes the nearness of God’s peaceful presence, despite rough weather.   When I’m hit in the face by life’s waves, I try to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, and lovely.  I try to let go of the illusion that I can control life’s twists and turns, and just rest in Jesus’ boat.  Recently I’ve had a series of visions featuring Jesus and I in a boat.  He is in the middle seat, rowing and I’m in the back seat, locking eyes with him.  That’s one of the keys to sailing free—keeping eye contact with Jesus. 

To abide in peace, I make declarations over myself about what is true – that God is always with me, loving me and helping me.  Paul wrote 1 Corinthians that “whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”  In our spirit, we are one with Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace.  You and I are permanently connected to the God of peace.  His peace is always accessible. 

Life’s storms can be intimidating.  But God will never give you the spirit of fear.  The Holy Spirit gives you power, love, and self-control.  The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; they confidently trust in you.” (TPT) 

To find peace, try declaring heaven’s promises over yourself.  You can bring the peace of heaven into your present reality.  Bring tomorrow’s promise of heaven into today: 

“We will see his face, there will be no more night 

For the Lord our God will give us light 

He will wipe the tears away from every eye 

He is making all things new, all things new.”  (Rev. 22) 

Each of us has a “river of destiny.”  He is sovereign over our unique situations.  Jesus is fully able to get us where we need to go.  We don’t get there by wildly thrashing with our oars.  We get there by letting the power of his wind move us in the right direction.  We trust that he is Lord over the weather conditions – God sets the pace.  We move at the pace of his grace.  Keep your eyes locked onto Jesus’ face.  May his peace be with you!

Unlock Love  -  Article #1 

This is the beginning of a series of articles I will be posting under the umbrella of “Unlock Love.”  It’s a phrase that God spoke to me, telling me to emphasize that theme.  It’s no surprise that our loves should be permeated with God’s love.  We should always be tapping into the continuous flow of God’s love coming into us, and letting that love flow out of us.    

Jesus quoted the 1st and 2nd commandments, “Love the Lord your God…and love your neighbor as yourself.”  Paul echoes Jesus’ words by writing to the church in Corinth, “Make love your highest goal,” and “do everything in love.” 

There are many pathways of thinking, habits, and spiritual strongholds that block the flow of love.  A few of these are the way we see God, see ourselves, and see other people.  In this series of articles, I will share my experiences of removing the barriers to love. 

Let’s start with our identity as children of Love.  Where did we come from?  We were made in Love’s image.  God IS love.  We were made by love, in love and for love.  We are joined to Jesus, who is love: “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Cor 6:17).  We are one with Love.  That’s our true identity.  There is no separation between the branch and the vine (John 15).  The love that is inherent to the nature of God flows through us as we abide, remain and live into in his love. 

“Children of love” is a re-phrasing of Paul’s words, “you are children of light” and “you are light in the Lord.”  Scripture teaches that God is light.  For Paul to say, “YOU are light” is an amazing statement.  His light is alive in us – the full potential of creative, energetic God-light.  Paul is saying, “this is who you are.” 

So, when we’ve lost our temper or carried a bad attitude for awhile, all it takes is a simple re-alignment to get things right.  We repent and remind ourselves who we really are – ones who are not envious, boastful, or proud.  We are alive in the Spirit because “Christ in us, the hope of glory” is our powerhouse companion! 

I like to pray this type of prayer, and make this declaration, taken from the “love chapter” in 1 Corinthians: “I am joined to Jesus, who is kind, patient, unselfish and believes the best about others.  I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in these qualities of love.  I am one with him.  I choose to surrender to his thoughts and impulses, enabling me to freely love as I have been loved. 

It’s hard work becoming a constant conduit of God’s love to others – but it’s not a heavy burden.  If we are struggling under the weight of condemnation, labeling ourselves as dismal failures, we’ll never climb out that depressing hole.  But, if we immerse our mind and spirit in the never ending flow of God’s love, we’ll get in sync with his loving ways.  And we will love our neighbor as we love ourselves! 

Do yourself a favor – love and forgive yourself.  Give yourself as much grace as Jesus does – it’s unending.  It’s a lot easier to love others when you know you are loved unconditionally.

“Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.”  Exodus 4:19-20 

Moses had to go back to the place of his failure.  He had to trust God to protect him.  He had to walk into the environment in which he was almost murdered by the previous Pharaoh, the place from which he fled into the wilderness. 

His staff was a simple piece of wood, a tool he used every day in his daily, menial work of caring for animals.  God directed him to use the tool that was earthly, ready at hand and completely unremarkable.  God turned it into a conduit for revealing his authority, presence and favor. 

What tool is ready at your hand?  A guitar?  A cell phone that you can use to share God-ideas online?  The ability to speak or write or lead or serve?  What skill do you use on almost a daily basis?  Caring for children or adults or needy?  What knowledge do you have from years of experience that God wants to embody and empower to be a tool for revealing his loving encouragement? 

What is the “Egypt” you have to walk back into?  What fears do you face every day as you say a simple ‘yes’ to God’s invitation?   It’s not about your abilities, it’s about “I AM THAT I AM” being with you. 

On a natural level, Moses had plenty of reasons to lack confidence.  He wasn’t an articulate speaker.  He had murdered a man when he was still part of the royal household.  He was a very reluctant leader. 

God called him to do something way beyond his own little world of caring for flocks.  He called him to deliver people out of slavery to a cruel dictator.  It wasn’t about the wow factor of doing miracles.  The miracles were a tool to bring freedom and God’s blessing to an oppressed people.

There have been thousands of “waves” of the Holy Spirit throughout church history.  Here’s one example: in the country of Wales, between 1762 and 1862 there were at least 15 outstanding revivals (see “Revival Comes to Wales” by Eifion Evans). 

I grew up in Southern California, and did some surfing.  I never surfed enough to became a good surfer.  But I did learn some of the fundamentals of the sport.  There are many parallels between catching a wave on a surfboard and catching a wave of the Holy Spirit. 

What do you do when you surf a wave? 

1.  Watch for it.  While we are never without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, it’s good to always be looking for incoming waves.  When you see people being touched and hear stories from near and far about extraordinary things God is doing, you are seeing incoming waves that might reach your own shores.  This raises your faith level, and spurs you on to seek the Lord diligently, to pray and listen and respond to him. 

2.  Get yourself in a position to catch it.  Being in the right place at the right time is supremely important in surfing waves.  You learn it by doing it.  Simply go where there are waves and you pick up the knack for being in the right place.  Things of the Spirit are “more easily caught than taught.”  So hang around people and places that are receiving and giving away the Holy Spirit’s blessings.  Several years ago I was in Hawaii on a ministry trip (poor me, someone has to do it).  I got a couple of brief surfing opportunities with my son, Ben.  While I was paddling to catch a wave, one of the local surfer women shouted out, “go, go, go!”  She could see I needed to pick up the pace to catch the wave.  We need friends around us to cheer us on towards our spiritual goal. 

3.  To catch the wave.  You have to build up speed to catch the wave, which means you have to paddle hard. I relate this to having good spiritual habits.  You learn to pray by praying.  Just as surfers build up strong upper body muscles through lots of paddling, we build up spiritual muscles through frequent practice.  Mother Teresa said, “Prayer is a 2-way conversation.  God speaks, we listen.  We speak, God listens.”  The Holy Spirit is our constant inner teacher.  We tap into what he is saying by maintaining a posture of prayer. It’s not easy to catch a wave in surfing, but the more you do it, the easier it gets.  (I think it’s much easier to receive the Holy Spirit than to catch a beach wave!) 

4.  When you’re on the wave, you move in response to the wave.  You “do what the wave is doing.”  Keep listening.  Abide in him.  Get your instructions from him.  Do what he says.  In Paul’s teaching on discerning spiritual things, he says, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2).  If we have access to the mind of Christ, that means he can potentially be feeding us his thoughts non-stop.  Because we aren’t perfect receptors for his thoughts, we miss a lot of stuff.  Nevertheless, he is always ready to lead and guide. (Every analogy has weaknesses.  In a sense, we are always on a wave of the Holy Spirit because he is connected to our own human spirit.  See 1 Cor. 6:17, 2 Peter 1:4).  In surfing, you “feel” your way along the wave.  Not unlike moving with the Holy Spirit. 

5.  The power comes from the wave, not from us.  If we abide in him, we will bear much fruit by virtue of our connection with his love, wisdom and power.  This is liberating.  We never have to produce the power, and we never take the credit, because he is the source of every blessing.  

Good waves come in sets of 6 or 8, then there’s a lull, then another set rolls in.  Watch and wait for the right times to surf.  If there are no waves, go have a barbeque on the beach!  At all times, love one another, serve the needy, and do the “main and plain” things that every Christian should do. 

6.  Riding a beach wave is unlike any other feeling I’ve had.  It’s definitely a euphoric experience.  I think it’s even more fun than skiing or snowboarding – being smoothly carried along by a very powerful force.  For me, these euphoric feelings in surfing have been few and fleeting.  The Holy Spirit’s presence in us is much more constant and dependable than a beach wave.  He is always with us.  We don’t focus on euphoria, we focus on him, and sometimes he gives us a taste of heaven, and helps us to help others experience the same wonderful freedom. 

7.  Disclaimer.  Maybe the biggest weakness of this analogy between surfing and responding to the Holy Spirit is that surfing is and individual sport and immersion into the Holy Spirit is best done in relationship with others. 

8.  Watch for waves!  Paddle hard!  Trust the wave-Maker.  Be connected to a community of comrade-Holy Spirit-surfers.

Historically, we see that God brings renewal and positive change when people intentionally seek him.  But people don’t usually decide one day all on their own initiative, “I’m going to really go for God.”  Usually, there is a catalytic moment, an eye-opening experience, or a disruption of our contentment with the status quo. 

God brings disruption to light a fire under us. 

God disrupts normal life by his delightful appearance, his penetrating words, and at times through great difficulty.  Through disruptions, we see that what we thought was “normal spirituality” is probably less than all God has for us in our pilgrimage of faith. 

These disruptions are often not specifically sought after or expected. They are often difficult, but they are also heavenly.  God satisfies the hunger in our hearts when we follow his path of disruption.  God-disruptions produce godliness and fruitfulness if we humbly respond, giving God a chance to unwrap his gifts to us.   

Examples of biblical disruptions: 

Jesus encountering Paul on the road to Damascus.  “Is that you, Jesus?!” 
God encountering Moses through the burning bush, “God, you’ve got the wrong guy.” 
The prophet Samuel anointing David as the next king.  Teenager becomes giant-slayer. 
Matthew, sitting in his tax-collectors booth, received an invitation from Jesus: “Follow me.”  Jesus’ radical inclusion of a “scum-of-the-earth” tax collector is scandalous and wonderful. 
The Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost and empowered the disciples, which turned the world upside down. 
Jesus offers the Samaritan woman “Living Water.”  She tells the whole neighborhood this good news. 

We can be disrupted when we: 

Read a book, hear a sermon or a song – God grabs our heart, opens our eyes to a reality we know is right but couldn’t previously see. 
We see a passage of scripture like, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart” and decide to take it seriously.  (Col. 4:2) 
We see burning passion for God in someone’s life and it produces the right kind of jealousy in our hearts.  We want the blessings of God that we see in those around us.  We are provoked to follow the path of disruption – to break out of previous habits and really dive into the pursuit of God. 

Jesus said some radical things, like “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.”  (Matt. 10:37) 

Jesus absolutely didn’t want us to stop loving our family, but he calls us to love him with everything we have, everything that’s in us:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.”  Most people would describe that as fanaticism.  For Jesus, and Paul, and hundreds of thousands of disciples through the ages, it’s the normal Christian life.  That’s where real adventure is. 

Don’t hear legalism in what I’m saying.  It’s finding the Pearl of Great Price.  God disrupts our routines and our low expectations in order to begin a new chapter of experiencing his love and giving his love away.

In the Bible, God’s activity among us is sometimes compared to fire. What does the fiery Holy Spirit do?   He purifies, refines, ignites, makes alive, imparts passion and zeal for God, and his coming is accompanied by spiritual gifts and boldness.  John the Baptist said that Jesus would “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt 3:11). 

The Holy Spirit baptizes all of us with fire.  He brings his fiery love into our midst as we worship.  He dwells in us as a burning presence.   When two disciples broke bread with the risen Jesus, they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32). Each one of us is individually a temple of the Holy Spirit, and the collective body of Christ is another kind of temple of the Holy Spirit.  We are exposed to a larger, more powerful fire when we gather as the church. 

How do we steward the presence of the Holy Spirit in all arenas of life? 

1. We respond to him as individuals.  Each of us is joined to him.  “He (or she) who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Cor 6:17).  His presence in us is a flame that is never extinguished.  We pray and listen to him everyday, and we do our best to respond to his words and his voice inside us in all kinds of practical ways.   

2. We “keep the home fires burning.”  I picture a family hearth in a simple, medieval home.  The fire had many purposes.  It kept the house warm, provided hot water for cleaning, and was used to cook food.  It was also the gathering place for family fellowship.  Most of us don’t gather around literal fires in our homes, but we gather in response to the love-fire of the Holy Spirit in all of us.  We have to be attentive to the “home fire,” continuing to stoke it with fresh fuel to keep the fire alive.  For us, this means fanning the flame of God’s love in our own hearts and being attentive to relationships in our family and with our roommates.  

3. We welcome the fire of the Holy Spirit in our church gatherings.  Much of the time, the Holy Spirit’s effect on us is simply to warm our hearts towards him and towards one another.  At other times, he reveals the holiness of his fire, leading us to repentance (Hebrews 4:28-29).  We give place to the unpredictable move of the Holy Spirit, allowing his fire to kindle and ignite us however he wants. 

4. We gather with Christians from all kinds of other churches.  Throughout church history we see seasons of God’s fiery visitation, which draws together people from all kinds of churches, and those who aren’t churchgoers.  The fire spreads into the community, into every neighborhood and coffee shop where people will welcome his burning love.  The fiery love of God propels us to help and serve people everywhere. 

Will we let him burn in us?

How do we become hungry for God?  I think it’s partly God’s gift, and partly our choice.   Recently God has made it very easy for me to pray because he has visited me with amazing power and regularity.  I am swimming in a sea of revelation.  I see it as mostly God’s doing.  God is taking some big steps towards me these days, and I am trying to keep stepping towards him.  The result is wonderful and also challenging.  He is calling me to make a career of seeking him.  But that’s where the action is.  I feel like this is a season of great opportunity for anyone who will step towards him.

I find that it’s very easy to become satiated and satisfied with all kinds of things and activities that are NOT God.  Many of those things are good.  But if I fill myself up with entertainment, recreation and taking care of my possessions, I have a very shallow life.  So, we have to put aside the good stuff to get the best—God himself. 

I think when Jesus said, “I am the bread of Life, come to me and drink” and “I am the living water, come to me and drink,” it was the real deal.  We can actually get sustenance and the satisfaction of an intimate relationship with the God who is love.  But there are so many inferior substitutes available in this era of great wealth and super advance technology. 

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.  Doing God’s will feeds us.  We know our lives have meaning when we do God’s work.  That is very fulfilling. 

Our hunger can be satisfied with nearness to God, just as the Psalmist who wrote these words: I will praise you as long as I live, 
and in your name I will lift up my hands.  I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;  with singing lips my mouth will praise you (Psalm 63:4,5).

A life-changing conversation between mother and son 

When he was 10 years old, David Eisenhower was vey excited about joining his older brothers to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night.  But his parents wouldn’t let him go.  They thought he was too young.  David threw a terrible temper tantrum.  He begged his parents for the chance to join his brothers.  In a rage, he screamed and cried and beat his hands against a tree. 

His father spanked him and sent him to bed.  Later on, his mother came to comfort her son, taking him into her lap and gently rocking him.  After a time of quiet, she quoted Proverbs 16:32: “He that conquers his own soul is greater than he who takes a city.”  She explained to him how dangerous it was to hold bitterness in your heart towards others.  Hanging onto anger will damage and imprison you. 

Sixty-six years later, when he was seventy-six, Eisenhower wrote, “I have always looked back on that conversation as one of the most valuable moments of my life. To my youthful mind, it seemed to me that she talked for hours, but I suppose the affair was ended in fifteen or twenty minutes. At least she got me to acknowledge that I was wrong and I felt enough ease in my mind to fall off to sleep.”[i] 

Here is another example of foot-washing.  In this case, we see the long lasting impact of sitting quietly with a person and speaking kind words.  Ida Eisenhower was doing what all faithful mothers do.  She was consoling and counseling her young boy.  She couldn’t have known she was shaping the character of a boy who would become President of the United States.   She couldn’t have known that this 20-minute conversation would always be remembered by her son as one of his most life-changing moments.  The slow, steady, humble work of showing compassion to a weeping child has long-term benefits that we can’t see in the moment of crisis.  This was another “secret place” moment of showing love to a hurting child. God sees every kind word, every minute and hour you’ve spent in compassionate caring. God sees that kind of faithfulness and rewards it—even if it takes a long time.  Through the centuries, mothers have had huge influence in shaping the character of their children and students, some of whom become leaders and influencers.  Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” 

What if David Eisenhower had turned out to have an unproductive, unremarkable life?  What if he had spurned all of Ida’s wisdom and guidance?  Would that have changed the value of Ida’s tender care for him?  No. If you’ve loved, you’ve succeeded.  If you “make love your highest goal,” as the Apostle Paul says, you’ve done well. We can’t control how the recipients of our love will respond.  

[i]   David Brooks, The Road to Character, Random House, New York, 2015, Page 52.