It is About Love. God’s Kingdom is About Love
In 1 Corinthians 13, tough Paul takes a deep breath and says love is irreplaceable. He said it is about love.
Because I grew up in a family where I was taught to not feel, this was a puzzling problem for me.
I read 1 Corinthians 13 in 9th grade and knew love was important and that I knew nothing about it. So I memorized the whole chapter and hoped that would help.
God’s help broke through my barriers when I was 25 as I mentioned elsewhere.
I rarely liked any girl. Jo was different, and I married her in Dec 2001. She is the most emotional girl any of us have ever known. She had a ton that I totally lacked. She has a faith like gold and unlike most Chinese people, she is all true. She is also strong enough to break through my stubborness.
Jo has taught me a lot about feeling and love. Jo can hate someone fiercely and love and care for them more than I do, and I do not hate them. Love is more than a feeling, but feeling is certainly in there.
Jesus Said God’s Kingdom Is About Love
Jesus simplified a lot when he gave us two commandments. Love God with all our heart soul, mind and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. Yes, God’s Kingdom, it is about love. See also God Changed Me at the Cross I Love. I did not even know what it meant to love with my heart when I was 25.
I think a lot of Americans and a lot of men especially lose track of their feelings. Feeling are so valuable. Let’s look deeper.
The red is a hot feeling and yellow is strong as well. Blue is cold. This works in all cultures. God’s design for our feelings is universal. Clearly God intended us to feel and that is important. We all need to connect with what God put in us like this. We all have them. I learned that when I get angry that it becomes anxiety in me and I feel heaviness around my heart. In my non feeling family, anger was especially forbidden apparently so mine hid, and I would become like a victim. If we pay attention, we can start to know more about what we are feeling. We all need too. Our kids, spouse and friends need us too. I have reminders on my phone that say, “What are you feeling?” and “What are others feeling?”
Thank you God for a path to learn so much more about feelings. Help me persevere. May many men learn to feel, so they can connect with their families as God intended.