Several years ago, a book came out titled The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman which suggested that there are five distinct “languages” or “interaction styles” through which the hearer perceives that they are loved. The five languages are:
1. Words of affirmation
2. Physical touch
3. Receiving gifts
4. Quality time (and lastly)
5. Acts of service
I want to restate for clarity that the language communicates love to the hearer, rather than from the speaker. I could give my wife flowers every week, jewelry on weekends and trips to the Caribbean on holidays, (I really don’t. This is just an example) but if her love language is acts of service then I’m likely to hear, “You don’t love me!”, “What do you mean I don’t love you? I give you flowers, and jewelry and trips to exotic places!”, and her reply to that would be something like, “If you really loved me you’d do the dishes or the laundry once in a while, or even cook me dinner sometimes!” (Which sometimes I do).
Some years ago, my wife and I were visiting a church and I heard the Pastor mention that sarcasm was his love language. I laughed when I heard him say it and I figured that we should get along great, because I tend to be, in fact a sarcastic person in general.
That is probably why when I saw an old “Visualize World Peace” bumper sticker had been hijacked and modified to read “Visualize Whirled Peas”, it was truly a laugh out loud moment for me, especially when it was paired with another slogan that read, “Stop The Violins!”
While I am generally a sarcastic person, I am not always sarcastic, and so it was through prayer and contemplation that the Lord brought me to the thought of Visualizing World P’s.
One might well ask “what are the P’s?”. It brings great joy to offer three things that Jesus has made available to the world, and that we would all profit from the visualization and contemplation of.
First, Jesus offers Pardon for sin. 1John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
In the Scriptures there are two words that are translated as “Sin”. One means to “transgress against God”, or to put it another way, “to break His rules”, and the other means to “fall short of the mark”. In either case our slate has been wiped clean. We have been forgiven, pardoned, made right. This He did once for all. He reconciled Himself to Man and now He invites anyone in the world to come and to be reunited with Him. He invites us to come and join Him, not as mere followers, but as friends.
Second Jesus offers Provision. Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
To look at the world today is to see many people living in poverty while a much smaller population lives in luxury, and we think to ourselves, “Why won’t they share? If they would just give what they have to others less fortunate, then no one would have to live in want!”
While that may be true, there are not many people lining up to do that. More often what we see is wealthy people trading some of what they have in abundance for power and control over people. Sadly, that is the way it’s always been, because that’s the (fallen) nature of man. Jesus is not like that. He says in John 6:36
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Third, Jesus offers the world true Peace. John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Peace in the passage is defined as quietness. Quietness; rest but not as the world thinks of rest. It is not a cessation of need, or strife, or stress, or fear, or sickness, or death. It is a quietness and rest even in the worst of those conditions. It comes not from being in control, but rather from knowing personally who in fact is, that He knows what He is doing, and He is doing what is right!
The Lord has us all on a journey today just as He did with the Israelites. And, just as He did then, He is providing everything we need in order to get us all safely to the destination He has planned for us. For the Israelites He had bread and meat fall from the sky and water to flow out of solid rock to provide for them. He fought their enemies for them and parted waters to provide ways of escape in times of greatest need. He even caused their shoes not to wear out for forty years, while they wandered around in their disbelief.
Even at their worst times of misbehavior, the Father (for father He is) was merciful in His correction.
Many of the Israelites chose not to accept the Father’s offer of pardon and provision and peace, and they died in the wilderness, but those who received the offer made it safe and sound into the land of promise.
Think of what your world would be like if you would fully accept God’s Pardon, His Provision, and His Peace. This week challenge yourselves to “Visualize World P’s”.
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