Love Like ThatSample
Love Like That: Grace-Full
We seem to be on a cosmic quest to establish our value—to prove it, earn it, deserve it. And once we find what we’re looking for, we relax—but only momentarily. Eventually, the people we are pleasing—whether a parent, a spouse, a friend, an advisory board, or an audience—quit sending us love messages. Ultimately we find ourselves back on our endless quest. And that unfulfilling quest makes it nearly impossible to love like Jesus. Why? Because we can’t give grace to others when we aren’t receiving it ourselves. When we’re busy earning acceptance from God, we start to think everyone else should earn it too. Judgmentalism creeps in. Self-righteousness appears.
If you want to be a better grace-giver, you’ve got to continually and consciously receive the grace God gives you. “Whoever has been forgiven only a little,” Jesus said, “loves only a little.” The more grace we receive, the more love we give. When we aren’t cognizant of God’s unconditional acceptance in our own lives, we can’t give it to others. Judgmentalism sees to that.
Here’s the truth: God’s grace is received, not achieved. Grace does not depend on what we have done for God but rather what God has done for us. And continually receiving God’s grace—in the deepest and most central parts of our beings—is the only true and lasting remedy to ugly judgments and holier-than-thou attitudes. “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable,” said C. S. Lewis, “because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
Love is not the cause of grace. It’s the proof of it. When we are conscious of God’s grace in our own lives, we are automatically more loving and accepting of others. I’m not naive about our judgments. I don’t think it’s possible to live a life where we never judge anyone, ever. But once you embrace God’s grace, once you raise your consciousness around this gift you are continually given, you get immeasurably closer to loving like Jesus.
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About this Plan
Psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Les Parrott provides a revolutionary path to success in the ultimate human challenge: truly loving other people. Let's be honest. How many times have you fallen short at being a good friend, a wise parent, or a self-giving spouse because you didn't love--truly love--at the highest level? It's tough. We're bound to fail. The bar is so high, especially if you aspire to love like Jesus. But it's not impossible. In Love Like That , Dr. Parrott takes the latest findings from sociology and psychology and blends them with biblical understanding to reveal practical and often counter-intuitive ways of loving like never before. He breaks them down into five factors--being mindful, being approachable, being a grace-giver, being vulnerable, and being empathetic--and shows how to practice them in daily life. The result will be deeply fulfilling and meaningful connections with nearly anyone you encounter--but especially in the relationships that matter most.
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We would like to thank Les Parrott for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: http://www.SYMBIS.com