There are some parts of the English language that if they get used too frequently or haphazardly that they tend to lose their significance. Two of those parts is the phrase, “I love you.” And the word, ‘sorry’.
When someone says ‘I love you’ haphazardly than the recipient is left wondering if what was meant is the charitable love of 1 Cor. 13 which is the love of Christ, or do they simply mean I really appreciate you a lot; I like you. Or is it the kind of love the publicans had who were saying you’re one of us therefore ‘I love you’. Usually it’s obvious when it is the charitable kind of love because their actions have already demonstrated it before hand.
Now, in my home, we are trying to get our children to stop saying ‘sorry’ upon every word of correction or conflict. Frequently it’s repeated four or five times in succession apparently for emphasis. We are now requiring them to reserve the “I’m sorry” phrase for when they have clearly disobeyed or done something hurtful or spiteful to one another. They then are required to say “I’m sorry for ‘whatever they did’, it was wrong, please forgive me.”
This is new to them so when we speak to them and they say, “Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.” Pause “Sorry.” and we then remind them that they did it again, the first thing they say is “sorry.” J When we give them simple instruction or mild correction we are trying to get them to simply acknowledge what we said, say “yes mom” or “yes dad” and then say something like “I will try.”; But not “Sorry.”
We want “I’m sorry” to be reserved for when there is sin involved; the sin of disobedience or the sin of mistreating others. It’s no different with our God. He demonstrated His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us. God said, “I have loved you with and everlasting love” in the book of Jeremiah. This is His love toward those who are the whosoever’s that chose to respond to His overtures toward them. He doesn’t want to hear the haphazard “I’m sorry” of an unrepentant heart. God wants to hear us say to Him and will accept the genuine “I’m sorry Jesus I sinned against You, I’m sorry You had to die for me, thank You for doing that for me, I know I didn’t deserve Your love but I’m so glad You love me. I love You Jesus. AMEN.”
In that is the beginning of a beautiful relationship with Him where He continually increases in significance in our lives and our own selfish endeavors decrease.
“He must increase, and WE must decrease!”
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