This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent and the theme is Love. Most of us think of love as a feeling; but love is an action. Love is what we do!
Most of us will give presents to those closest to us this year, and we will think we are giving them out of the feeling of love. But since love is an action and not a feeling … maybe this year we can do what God did that first Christmas as told in John 3:16: “For God so love the world that He gave His Only Son…” This year, in addition to presents or instead of them, let’s give love as an action and in our actions.
If we could learn to do what God did and give Love as an action, or in our actions, we might discover that we often find ourselves passing on a wonderful gift without even knowing it.
From the Advent Writings of James Moore I came across this little story:
One of the greatest artists of all time was Pablo Picasso. After he was established as a great artist, everything he created was worth a fortune. One day he walked into a carpenter’s shop to order a new piece of furniture for his home. He explained to the carpenter that he wanted a mahogany wardrobe for the corner of his bedroom. The carpenter listened carefully, but appears confused. A second time, Picasso described precisely what he wanted and how he wanted the wardrobe to look, but again the carpenter seemed unsure. Picasso tried a third time, but the carpenter still didn’t seem to understand.
Finally, Picasso grabbed a pencil and a piece of scratch paper and sketched what he wanted. The carpenter said, “Oh, yes, now I understand.” Picasso asked “Well, how much?” The carpenter replied, “Nothing at all. Just sign the sketch!” Picasso had passed on a valuable gift without knowing it.
The carpenter was a smart man. He knew that the best gift of all is that gift in which we give a part of ourselves. That’s what God taught us at that first Christmas: Unlike Picasso, God knew exactly the gift of Love He was passing on in the birth of Christ. It was love is action, God giving humanity a part of God’s self in “A Love That Knows No Limits.” We too are called to give love as action. When we do, sometimes like Picasso, we don’t even realize the gift we are giving.
Join us in worship at Covenant this Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sunday before Christmas. I’ll be looking at angelic greetings, a cousin’s affirmation, and a teenager’s response to help us discover “A Love That Know No Limits” based on Luke 1:39-50.
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