Politics and Love

The older I get the more of a daddy's girl I become. As I understand myself better, I realize how much of "me" is shaped by the gentle giant in the background of our home. Nothing reminds me of this more than those days I get to talk politics with my daddy.

You have to understand - my mom HATES political conversations. She tolerates them briefly, and then informs us that it's time to change the subject. I'm not sure why - she's just been that way as long as I can remember.

My dad, on the other hand, LOVES political conversations. He loves to debate, to tease, even to argue! And I am much the same way (except for arguing). Other than my husband there is no one on earth I'd rather have those conversations with than my daddy - even when he has me wanting to pull my hair out.

These days, those conversations are by phone and they only occur when my mom isn't home. My dad is hard of hearing and so my end of the call is rather loud. But when daddy wants to talk politics - I talk. Even in Wal-Mart. I treasure every phone call, remembering his successful bout with cancer and knowing that one day I will be recalling the last conversation instead of preparing for the next.

But all the years of conversations with daddy have taught me something else - something he has never verbalized, but that I've seen every day of my life. My dad, better than anyone else, has taught me what it means to love someone without regard for self-interest. He is the hardest person to buy for because everything he wants is whatever makes my mom smile. He joyfully lets her choose restaurants, make plans, and yes, tell him when to quit talking politics. I try to talk her into letting us continue - he happily moves on to the next subject. If you were to ask me one thing that best describes my father it would be simple: "He loves my mother with complete disregard for himself."

Love is hard. 1 Corinthians 13 is filled with action verbs - not emotions. Not everyone can envision what it should look like. Yet it is so important that we try - because through our acts of love, others are pointed to the One who IS love.

The Apostle Paul prioritized love in his teaching about relating to others in the church with differences of opinion (Rom. 14). He also demonstrated love when he willingly became "all things to all men" for the sake of the Gospel.

Those of you on the field know what he must have gone through. It isn't easy to lay down preferences and rights, to give up a favorite food or adopt a restrictive style of dress. No motivation but love can carry those decisions forward past the tough moments, when the very people you are trying to reach push you away.

And yet love is always right. Whatever sacrifices we make for love's sake are never in vain. So the next time you struggle with letting go of a right for a weaker brother, or making a cultural change to reach a lost soul, know that the message comes through. I've learned more about love from those times my daddy quit talking politics than from anything I was taught verbally. Love has a way of shining through - and people are watching.