Love, Love, Love

I remember this really dumb movie that starred Jerry Lewis.  Jerry was a stumbling bumbling social reprobate until he was placed under some strange spell.  Immediately he became Buddy Love.  All the girls wanted to be around him, he could dance, sing, and match wits with anyone.  He was strong, likeable and charming, until the spell wore off.  Then he returned to his old not very likeable self.  As I remember it was a corny flick that won no awards and probably lost money.  But I’m thinking about it because it reminds me of a spiritual lesson that is quite appropriate. 

     Most of us are like Jerry before the spell sets in.  We are just who we are, quite self-serving and not much to offer.  Maybe we are not quite the social reprobate Jerry was before the spell, but maybe close.  Then something happened to us.  Maybe Buddy Love isn’t the right word, but we certainly became loving.  What happened?  Did we come under some suspicious spell?  Or did God do His thing to us?  What thing am I talking about?  It is in several place in the Word, but my favorite place is Romans 5:5b where it says… God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,…  I like what God has done to us better than what the movie producers did to Jerry. 

     There is unfortunately another side of the movie that applies to us as well.  Poor old Jerry returned to his unlikable self when the spell wore off.  It seems to me like the spell has ‘wore off’ of some of us Christians.  I remind you of a song, an old camp song….LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, the gospel in one word is LOVE.  LOVE thy neighbor as thy brother, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.