Litmus test for Loving Jesus...

"If a man love me, he will keep my words... He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings..." - Jesus (John 14:23a & 24a KJV)

According to Jesus, a simple test of love is whether or not his words are kept.

Regardless of education, intelligence, morality, outlook, political correctness, or ecclesiastical position, if a person keeps (learns, believes, appreciates and obeys) Jesus' words that person loves Jesus.

The opposite is also true; if Christ's words are not kept the Love of Christ is NOT there no matter how good the arguments.

Jesus doesn't mean just the red letters of the Bible, a few short verses later he told his disciples,

"if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too." - John 15:20c (KJV)

Rev. Crepon, a pastor friend long ago when I was a young college student, told me, "Hold fast the the Bible, it will get you out of any jam it gets you into!"

Fritz

Little foxes and tender grapes

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. - Song of Solomon 2:15 (KJV)

The Song of Solomon is a strange little book many see as an allegory of the heartfelt relationship between Christ and the believer/Church.

Inside that strange little book is a strange little verse, apparently standing alone, in the middle of the woman's professed devotion. But vines represent the believer's life and connection to Christ (John 15:5) and grapes represent the result, or fruit, of one's life (John 15:16).

The haunting message, right where it belongs, is that in the middle of devotion, growth, and love for Christ there can still be "little foxes" (sneaky little things that creep in under the radar, so to speak) that can spoil the results of our devotion.

We also call these blind spots, a pet belief (of a person or a religious group) having no (or obscure) scriptural support, or a favorite "little" unrepented sin, and we wonder why we can't make traction or why things showing so much promise turn out a disappointment.

That's why we need believers, not just from our group or mindset, who love us enough to correct us, to point out those "little foxes".

The wise will ask for feedback and listen.