Will you love me just a little?

Just enough to show you care?

Lyrics by Gerry Bickley

Luke 7:47

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

A song was playing on the radio and these lyrics reminded me of the fragile nature of human love. If we do not feel loved we have a tendency to start questioning if our love is enough. Love is after all a reciprocal force.

The basic problem is our belief in being forgiven. Jesus died for all our sins, past, present and future and yet somehow we doubt His capacity to forgive that which we have not even yet committed. That is thinking in human terms, He is God and capable of so much more.

John 1:16

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

We have received from His fullness, we have not received His fullness, His capacity is limitless. In our human experience everything has limits, not so with God. At what point in our walk with God can we let go of the concept of limits and realize all things are possible with God?

Perhaps it is like the song says, maybe we can love Him a little just to show Him we can. But then there’s that pesky scripture, love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and we know we haven’t so we start feeling like we failed God. Those are human thoughts and feelings, not spiritual and not how God sees things.

The opening lyrics were from a secular song and derived from a secular mind. Just because they remind us of scripture does not make them Godly thoughts. Our secular minds are subject to memory but that is not the pondering heart.

• Psalm 4:4
  Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
• Psalm 101:2
  I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;

Sometimes we receive messages that indicate we are like a tree.

Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Ezekiel 36:11 And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Matthew 12:33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

Does a tree have any choice in what kind of fruit it produces? Here we are as born again believers, what kind of fruit do we produce? What kind of fruit do we produce now for it will be seen by others and we will be judged by others that way. Warning Young Skywalker warning.

Galatians 5:22-23 English Standard Version

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Now comes the tricky part. Fruits of the Spirit are produced by the Spirit indicating that we are children of God. Which of these attributes cannot be duplicated by willful knowledge?

That is a trick question. The answer is taste.

Psalm 34:8 a. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! 

The deceiver has no idea what the Lord tastes like. The born again believer will know by the taste that the fruit is produced by the Spirit and not self-will.

So it is with other aspects of this new life in Christ, growth and maturity comes to us by the Spirit who has been charged with preparing us for our betrothed.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Self-will is vexing to the Holy Spirit, it frustrates His efforts in preparing us.