Genuine Love

Mar 21, 2013 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

It’s almost springtime and where we live, the Bradford fruitless pear trees are in full bloom. They are trees of medium height with beautiful white blossom. In a town that sees only a dusting of snow every 10 years, the fruitless pear appear to be completely laden with pure white balls of snow. Then as the tree begins to leaf, soft, delicate petals flutter down like a gentle snow shower. We have entire streets lined with this majestic display. Rather ironic that this is how we usher out winter and welcome the spring. And I absolutely hate these trees.

Don’t get me wrong; fruitless pear trees are absolutely beautiful in bloom and in leaf. But I am terribly allergic to them or at the very least something that blooms at the exact same time. When I see the blossoms beginning to appear, I have to instantly take refuge indoors. No more walks in the park; no sitting on my back patio in the evening. I literally run from doorway to car, from car to doorway to avoid inhaling the pollens. I have spent many days in bed sick from those trees and one year, it was for an entire month. So you can see, while they are beautiful, I dread their appearance every year.

How often are we like those trees when we are relating to others. We smile and appear bright and cheery as we interact. We say all the right words and sometimes even perform generous acts of kindness.  But do we really care about the people we are living around? Or is it all a façade that in secret blows away in the wind like soft white petals.

In Mark 12:30-31 we are told to love God first and love our neighbor second. I really like how Jim puts it, “Love God with everything you’ve got and love God’s kids the way He loves His kids.” To truly love with a genuine heart, we must be sure we are completely full of genuine love – and that love can only come from the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Are you living like the Bradford pear trees – beautiful and showy, but fruitless  and causing discomfort? Seek a heart of genuine love and your insides will match your outsides.

~Jerolyn