Love From The Heart

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
John 15:12
Kairos Prison Ministry International is a lay-led, interdenominational Christian ministry in which men and women volunteers bring Christ's love and forgiveness to prisoners and their families.  I volunteered with Kairos for almost a decade at Limestone Correctional Facility.  One of the ways that Kairos ministers to inmates is through presenting them small gifts that we call “agape”.  The purpose of these posters, placemats, letters, cookies, meals, seat cushions, and other items or “agape” is to show the inmates the reality of unconditional love.  When we shared the gospel with them we were able to point to the items as a small example of “agape”.  I witnessed a forty year old convict break down into tears upon seeing a poster drawn by an eight year old telling him that he was loved.  These were words that he had not heard in many years.
True agape is beyond the small gifts we presented these inmates.  Agape is an unconditional, unconquerable, undefeatable love.  A love by choice.  An act of the will.  Agape is a love that only comes from the nature and character of God.  In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul mentions, first, agape in his list of attributes of the fruit of the spirit.  Agape love is only possible when we have the Holy Spirit as our seat of courage.
Loving and trusting God with the heart takes an irrational and illogical belief and trust.  In Kairos Prison Ministry, you are partnered with a convict for a weekend.  The convicts are called “the men in white” and the Kairos team is referred to as “the people in funny clothes”.  On a Kairos weekend there are 42 men in white and approximately that many funny dressed men.  During our time together, we do not have correctional officers with us all the time.  We have no protection other than the Holy Spirit.  Many have said that ministering behind bars is “foolish”.  Having been behind bars with 42 convicts numerous times, in an irrational and illogical location for ministry, I can tell you that this is where God moves.  Many of us on Kairos teams say that we volunteer for Kairos so that “we can go to church and see God in action.”
Where is true agape love demonstrated to others in your life?  Does your agape love reach out beyond the walls of your home?
Do you need to seek out a ministry to be involved in so that you can begin to demonstrate Christ’s love to others?
Make it a point to reach out and choose to agape someone today.  Who will that be?

--Zine Smith

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