Planting Seeds for the Stranger Day 2: Faith to Love

⁵ In view of all this, be diligent to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your FAITH with a generous provision of moral excellence, and complement moral excellence with knowledge, ⁶ build up knowledge with self-control, and improve self-control with patient endurance, strengthen patient endurance with godliness, ⁷ and reinforce godliness with brotherly affection, then increase brotherly affection with LOVE for everyone. ⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1: 5 – 8

On Sunday, I went to Kirche in der Fabrik (a German church with an English translator) with my host. The sermon was on the above passage from the Bible. I have always loved Peter’s view of the progression from faith to love, but my attention that day was drawn to these three words: diligent, self-control and endurance. Different parts of the same battle, right?

And it definitely touched my heart regarding my mission here in Austria this month with refugees. I am here because of faith that the love I experience from God is the same love that He feels for these men, women and children that are strangers here in Austria. Strangers like me! I don’t speak much German. I haven’t lived in this country before. I am also not familiar with the money, the culture or the customs.

So how have I experienced this progression from faith to love in Austria?

With the Greek words speudo (diligence and eagerness) from verse 5, enkrateia (temperance and self-control) from verse 6 and with hupomone (patient endurance and perseverance), also from verse 6.

God definitely gave me an eagerness to love on these people, but in my interactions with them I must exercise self-control and patience. My go-for-it American enthusiasm is not always what communicates dignity and respect. Sharing the love of God and earning the right to share the truths of God is a better fit for the relational way they communicate with outsiders. I must remember to treat the Bible with high respect as a place where the very Word of God is recorded (and not writing in it or putting it on the floor, etc). I cannot be quick to judge their actions through my own culture. And I should always remember that they are in very difficult circumstances and I cannot take their troubles lightly. They don’t have the resources I would have for recovery or they wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Building a deeper relationship takes time in most of their cultures. Yesterday I helped the refugees find appropriate clothing from our clothing room and worked with other Austrian volunteers. One of them said, “It feels like I already know you and it has only been a few hours!” We have Christ in common and that makes a big difference. But it is not like this with the strangers God is placing in my path. Many of the refugees have only been here a few weeks. One month may not be enough time normally, but I must be patient and trust that God will give me a special relationship with at least one woman. Please pray with me!

An antonym for enkrateia is procrastination, an inability to finish well what needs to be done. So self-control can also be seen as the ability to pull together what is needed (emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually and relationally) to finish well and move forward to love whom He wants you to love.

This progression from faith to love is an important part of planting seeds.

In what current circumstances do you hear God asking you to step out in faith to love someone who is a stranger?

Who might that person be?

In what ways could you exercise self-control and patience in this relationship?

Father God, You are a relational God and I thank You for loving me so well. Show me when and how to love these women You already love and build a deeper relationship. Holy Spirit, grow these seeds that are planted into a flourishing relationship with You for at least one woman. But use me as You wish. Amen.