Insane Love

[ramblin_rosie]

People on Little Green Footballs, in their tributes to Steve, are using such terms as "his insane love of life" and "he was crazy about his wife and kids." And they're pointing out that the world would have many fewer problems if more people shared that trait.
And that got me thinking.

I watched Inside the Twin Towers tonight. One thing that struck me was when Stanley Praimnath, in talking about his rescuer, said, "Never before in my life had anyone shown that kind of compassion for me."
To which I said, "That's the love of Jesus, brother."

Insane love. The kind of love that says "I'll do anything for you, not because I want anything from you, not because you deserve it, but because I love you." The kind of love that leads a man to risk his life for his fellow creatures, be they human or not. The kind of love that defies logic because it transcends logic.
That is the kind of love that's called agape. That's the kind of love that would cause an omnipotent, just God to send His only Son to die to save a universe that He could just as easily have destroyed, and it's the kind of love that would cause the Son to embrace that death willingly so that those who accept Him can have eternal life. "The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men," but human reason, warped by the Fall, looks at it and declares it crazy.
It's all a part of "this life of practical romance." And, to quote one of my favorite people, I pity the fool who cannot--or will not--see it. As for me, I'd rather be crazy.

(Funny, the sermon tape I listened to this morning was based on "He has brought me into his banquet hall, and his banner over me is love." Coincidence?)

Comments

[ramblin_rosie]

Hannibal, too, when you think of it. I think that's one reason he and Murdock connect so well. Whether you call it the Jazz or something else, it's the same basic principle. And as Chesterton pointed out, the only truly insane people are the ones who exclude mystery and have "lost everything except their reason."

Oh, He is, He is!

[hoppytoad79.livejournal.com]

Steve Irwin was rash and foolish and bloody lucky he didn't bite it sooner than he did. That he was devoted to his wife and kids is a great thing is a separate and unrelated trait. The world would not be a better place if we had more people like Steve Irwin. There are enough stupid fools doing stupid, risky things who put their lives and the lives of others at risk as it is. We do not need any more jackasses. We do, however, need more people who are devoted to their wife and kid(s).

[ramblin_rosie]

Yes, he did things that were foolhardy, but one reason he did so was that he loved animals and loved to teach people about them. He was one "who loved not wisely, but too well."
I'm not saying everyone should go off chasing crocs. I am saying that we need to love one another in ways that the world thinks are crazy.

[fafojoy.livejournal.com]

I watched that special too. There were many heroes that day, and that was indeed the love of Christ being shown.

I remember when doing an 'Experiencing God' bible study coming across Blackaby's words around the Deuteronoy Passage (30:19-20) where we are told to 'choose life' - and part of that means to embrace life and live it fully.

I don't know what Steve Irwin believed, or if he stands in the presence of his savior, but he certainly did embrace life. We need to embrace life with God and love Him that much too.

[ramblin_rosie]

Well, and what's the use of abundant life if we don't live abundantly? Not in the Auntie Mame sense, but enjoying that which is good because God gives it and in the measure God intended.

I don't know what he believed, either. We can but hope. But, as you say, he is an example of loving life.

[vixenmage.livejournal.com]

It's true... No greater love hath man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. And that's considered so crazy today... and it is, in today's world. But it shouldn't be. *sigh*

I always idolized BA the most... but when you think about it, all four of them were like that.

It's kind of sad, really, that the world has sunk so far that what should really be common, is considered insane.