Please welcome our first guest blogger,
Michelle Szymkowski, Elementary Lead Teacher
As a new bride, now having been married for approximately 51 days, 15 hours, 32 minutes, and 27 seconds… I love my husband. I mean, I really love my husband. While I am aware that he is in fact human, and that somewhere hidden behind all that cuteness is an imperfection or two, I thus far remain blissfully ignorant. Does this mean that he has maintained the first date façade? By no means. I am confident that he has been entirely himself with me. While he must have at some point done at least one thing wrong, my mind continues to draw a blank.
“Love keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5
He has somehow cast this spell upon me since day one that allows me to see only the best in him. Although I do find it strange: why is it that his laundry always makes it to the floor, but never just 6 inches to the left where the hamper is? Must be the pull of the earth’s magnetic field towards the poles…hmm.
“Love is patient.” 1 Corinthians 13:4
Anyhow, I began to ask myself: why can’t I love others the way I love him? I could write a novel about all the ways the world has mistreated me, hurt my feelings, or just generally didn’t meet my standards, but I somehow find it adorable when Erik turns the AC in the car off for the 30th time just so he can get the extra boost to make it up the freeway off ramp. Ah, who am I kidding – that bugs me. The point is, there are a select few people in my life who certainly have not been perfect, but my love for them has never wavered. Why the discrepancy?
I believe I have discovered the difference; the difference is there are those whom I choose to love and those whom I try to love, if they earn it, and if I feel like it. Ah did you catch that? I said if they earn it. Unfortunately, I meant to say that. For the vast majority of the world, my love is conditional. I am good at loving the loveable.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
God doesn’t just love me when I’m loveable. He didn’t wait for me to earn His love. When I was broken, while I was His enemy, when I forgot His promises and chose to live like I knew better, the Creator of the universe chose to give His life for me. Did I deserve it? No, I deserved far worse.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
The world teaches that what goes around comes around. If someone has wronged you then they will “get what’s comin’to ‘em”. My students deserve my patience when they respect me, but if they are misbehaving, then I no longer need to treat them with grace. I have even gone so far as to suppress my love towards those whose problems became bigger than my own. After all, it’s hard to love sinners. The world teaches an eye for an eye. But if I were treated as my sins deserved, I would receive death. Instead, God removes my sin from me and places Christ’s righteousness upon me.
“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10-12
Rather than asking how I can love others like I love my husband, I should be asking how I can love anyone like God loves us.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John4:19
Michelle Szymkowski (formerly LeBlanc) has been involved in some way in the Faith family for over 15 years. She was the last of 4 LeBlancs to graduate from Faith (5 if you count her sister-in-law). Right after graduating, Michelle began to serve at Faith with the high school worship team which she had been a part of throughout her time as a student. She is now entering her 5th year as the 5th and 6th grade teacher and will also serve as the Elementary Lead Teacher beginning this upcoming school year. She received her B.S. in Family and Human Development from ASU.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-8
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