How smart is your love?

"How deep is your love?" Beegees 1977

"How smart is your love?" the Apostle Paul, A.D. 60? Philippians 1:9-11

Maybe if Paul had had a catchy tune this would have caught on big time.  In the letter to the Christians at Philippi Paul wrote

"I pray that your love will keep on growing and your will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God." CEV 

We are supposed to grow wiser with age, right? As time goes on, I should be a better lover. Love is better with knowledge and understanding. The more I know and understand my wife, the better I can love her. Knowledge and understanding of others, of life in general should help me love better. The heart and the head need each other. Sometimes my heart (sometimes it is just my hormones) want to push me a direction that isn't at all wise. Sometimes I mean well but my actions hurt rather than heal, because I don't understand the situation. If I give money to a begging drug addict or a loan to someone who wastes it on gambling, am I helping or hurting them? My heart might be in the right place, but without the head it really screws things up. Likewise if I only use my head and don't care, I will rationalise and not do anything. My head says "that lady is probably a professional beggar, don't give her any money" and I walk on by. Maybe if the heart and head were working together they would come up with some alternative actions that might be helpful. Maybe.

If my love keeps growing smarter then I will make better decisions, "right choices" Paul says. That will lead to better character "pure and innocent". Wow! Haven't thought of myself as pure and innocent since, well, EVER! Wouldn't it be wonderful to be "pure and innocent" by the time Jesus comes back? It must be possible, because Paul prays that God will accomplish this. Lord, if smart love can lead to a pure and innocent life, then I want it. Please give me smart love.

"And that's not all!" People with smart love that leads to good decisions that leads to good character do good deeds.  You "will keep busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God."

Now I'm hungry for it. Lord, please give me smart love. Please give my loved ones smart loves. Give the brothers and sisters at JIFF smart love. We all desperately need the smart love that leads to wise decisions that leads to good character that leads to good deeds that lead to glory and honor for you. Since you taught us to pray for this, I'm confident you'll answer this prayer. Thank you. Amen