Reflective Paper 2

Denver Weihrauch
Theo. 104
Reflective Paper 2
7/4/2013

I. Introduction
In this paper we are going to look into how important our lives are and how we can make a difference in others lives just by living our lives the way we are called to. We are all given multiple chances everyday to show others the love of Christ, but do we take advantage of these situations. Once we learn how the Lord is asking us to live our lives and the way we are called to live by faith, then we can truly love each other in a manner that is Christ lived on. Part 1 Life What is the meaning of life? Is there a purpose to our lives? As we read scripture, we see how important our lives are to the Lord, and what we are called to do with them. In Mark 17 Jesus tell us to, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people” This statement proves to us that we should being doing our best to lead others to Christ. In Matthew 6 we are told not to worry about our daily needs, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Also in Luke 12 we are given similar advice. These few verses are just the beginning of the beautiful blessing the Lord has in store for us. The more I read scripture and study the Word of God the more I realize that our true call here on earth is to bring as many people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior. For much of my life I thought that my life was useless for the Lord, and if anything I was only dragging down the Word. It seemed to me that all I was doing was giving the world more fuel to fight against being a Christian. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started to open my heart to the Lord so He could work His will through me. It has taken a few years but I am now starting to see and understand how to have faith, and not just say I have faith. For a long time I thought that I couldn’t be a missionary because I wasn’t going to third world countries and spreading the Word. In recent years I have come to understand that my life is just as an important missionary journey as is any missionary trip I could take. We need to comprehend that we have the opportunity everyday to show the world the love of Christ. Our missionary field here at home is completely different form the one we would experience in another country. Even though I have never been to a third world country to preach Jesus I think it is much more difficult to reach non-believers here at home. Here we must deal with the constant onset of the devil through everyday life. It seems as if everything evil is becoming more and more acceptable. In times like these it will be the little things that a Christian does or does not do that has the chance to plant the seed in a non-believers heart. Many times in our life we will talk to a person or influence them in a way that we are not aware of, but through these actions are how we can begin to change the world. More than likely most of us will not lead a revival and bring thousands to Christ, but we might be the one to bring the next Billy Graham to Christ.

II. Part 2 Love Strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, an assurance of affection the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others , Catholic Encyclopedia. The Lord shows us the true meaning of the word with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As all of us who have children can relate, this verse is almost unimaginable. Before I had children I didn’t comprehend the true magnitude of this statement. Now thinking of giving up a child for anytime seems crazy, but now I understand how much the Lord loves us. This passage and many more show us just how much the Lord truly loves us. Love is a word that is thrown around as if it doesn’t really have any true meaning anymore. We say we love football, or pizza or a car, but are these really the meaning that the word love stands for. As we examine the word love we can see there is much more to it than our simple day to day meanings. One of the meanings that are stated above is brotherly concern for others. As I think about football I remember how much I enjoyed playing, coaching, watching, pretty much anything you can think of to do with football I enjoyed doing it. After saying that I now think of all the things I have done in my life in the past years that have taken football’s place. For example, I now have an angel for a wife, 3 beautiful children and more blessing than I think one man should be allowed in a life time. Also I am not taking college classes, which for the last year as pretty much kept me away from any kind of TV time what’s-so-ever. After saying all of this, did I ever really love football? The answer is no, but I do really enjoy the sport. When we associate love with a different meaning that changes how we understand the word entirely, we can better realize its importance. If we position the definition, the fatherly concern of God for humankind, in for the meaning of love, we can see how much more critical it is and how much more incredible our Lord is. Loving and caring for others in the same fashion Jesus did, will open the door to others and give us a chance to reach their hearts.

Conclusion The more I read scripture the more I become aware of the beautiful blessings that fill my life every day. Grasping the importance of our lives to His plan is vital to reaching others. Agreeing that we are essential in the Lords plan will help us to live a life that is Christ lived on. Striving to live a life that is pleasing to Him is the best way I can bring others to the knowledge of Jesus as their Savior.

III. Grading Rubric Student: | Criteria | PointsPossible | PointsEarned | Instructor’s Comments | Content: Does the paper cover the subject as thoroughly as possible? Are 2 topics covered? Does it demonstrate a personal understanding of the subject? | 65 | | | Introduction: Is there a clear introductory paragraph including a thesis? | 10 | | | Structure: Are there headings provided for each section? | 10 | | | Conclusion: Is a concluding paragraph given? | 10 | | | Mechanics: Is paper free of glaring errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation and is it posted by the deadline? | 30 | | | Grading Rubric: Is this page provided as the last page of the paper? | 10 | | | Format: Is the paper 12-point, Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, and double-spaced? | 15 | | | Total | 150 | | |

Reference

The Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible NIV.(1990) B.B. Kirkbridge Bible Co., Inc. Indianapolis, IN

Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation. (1996) Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Ill

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Sollier, J. (1910). Love (Theological Virtue). In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 3, 2013 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09397a.htm