I Corinthians 13 – Love Always Protects
Ron continues his love series from I Corinthians 13 with a post entitled, “Love Always Protects.” A conversation in a coffee shop reminds two men of how God takes care of them, and their families. In this series, Ron breaks down I Corinthians 13:4-7 into easily segments by using a selection of “love” themed short stories.
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A Coffee Shop Chat
Steve spotted his old friend Dan in the lineup in a coffee shop on the other side of town. He hadn’t seen Dan for months so, when he turned to look for a seat, Steve waved enthusiastically to catch his attention. Dan smiled broadly and walked over to join his old friend. He put his coffee and donut down on the table, slipped off his coat, and took his seat.
“Thanks for flagging me down,” said Dan.
“It’s been a long time since we chatted. How are things with you?” asked Steve.
Dan smiled his usual warm smile. “Things are going well for me, thanks. I have no complaints. God’s been good to me.”
“I’m glad to hear that. So many of us are learning about stuff we didn’t expect to have to deal with. Tell me about your family. What’s Mary up to?”
Mary on Medication
Dan’s smile evaporated. “She’s having a bit of a bad time just now — dealing with depression. She’s on medication, but she’s kinda lost interest in things.
We were going to take a vacation in a few weeks, but she just can’t bring herself to face it, so I had to cancel our plans.
“Wow!” said Steve. That’s a challenge.”
“Oh yeah, but I’m getting by. What makes me sad is seeing her suffering like that. She used to be such a cheery little person.”
“And the kids?” asked Steve.
“Well, Sarah’s husband left her and she’s back home. We hope they get together again, but right now it’s hard to tell what’ll happen. We sure never thought we’d be dealing with this in our family.”
Bruce’s Promotion
He paused to sip his coffee and take a bite of donut. “But I have to say things are good with Bruce. He just got a promotion at work.”
“That does sound good. Tell me about it.” Steve smiled, anticipating a positive change in tone.
“His company’s opening a new facility out east, so he and Sandra are headed in that direction. They’re leaving next month. I don’t know when we’ll see them next, but Bruce says that he’ll bring the family back for Christmas. I hope that works out. I’m going to miss the kids, for sure.”
“That’s a bit of a double-edged sword — good for Bruce, but rough for you and Mary not seeing the grandchildren as you’ve been used to.”
“Yeah, we were pretty close to them, but we wouldn’t want Bruce to turn down this opportunity for us.”
Love Always Protects
A puzzled look suddenly crossed Steve’s face. “Wait a minute, Dan. I thought you told me that you had no complaints.”
Dan smiled. “Well, I don’t. This kind of stuff happens. It’s what makes us strong — deepens our faith. We all have things we have to bear with. I’m not letting it get to me. It’s just the way it is. And Hey! God’s taking care of us.
“That said, it still sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate,” said Steve.
“I suppose, but I’ve had a very clear sense of the Lord’s love, these last few months, and in turn I’ve been able to love others.
I love dear Mary, perhaps more than I ever have. I love Sarah and even John. Being cynical and angry is not going to bring them together, but if I can bring a little bit of that love into their relationship, who knows? Maybe they’ll take another crack at it.
And Bruce? Well, sure, I’m going to miss him, but I’m so proud of that young man. He’s doing well for himself and his family. I don’t want to let the negative effects of the move on me spoil things for him. So I’m learning about love and it has a lot of angles, not the least of which is that it bears all things, or protects all things, kinda just covers things over because it has confidence in God.”
“I hardly know what to say, but I notice we’ve talked about everyone else. How are you doing?”
“Well, like I say, God’s been good to me. I’ve got an MRI on my shoulder scheduled six weeks out. Maybe that’ll help the doctors get to the bottom of that problem.”
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Ron Hughes
Ron Hughes is the former President of FBH International He developed his interest in technology and mass communications during his highschool years in Peterborough, Ontario.
He received a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Radio and Television Arts from Ryerson University where he graduated as the program’s “outstanding graduate.”
He gained experience working in both commercial and cultural radio stations in Southern Ontario as well as engaging in freelance production.
In 1983, he and his wife, Debbie, moved to Ecuador where they served as missionaries for 10 years. There, Ron produced radio specials and numerous music albums as well as several videos. Some of these videos were the first ever produced in Ecuador’s major indigenous languages. In 1993, the Hughes family returned to Canada at the invitation of FBH International (then Family Bible Hour) and oversaw the ministry for many years.
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Images courtesy of:
Coffee Shop – Jesse Therrien
Medication – Alexander Kalina
Man At Work – Vedrana Bosnjak
Love Always Protects– Keramark Solutions
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