Well we’ve arrived at the final A in our Triple A, affection. In the book of Matthew, 22nd
chapter, and verses 37 - 40, "Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor
as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
In this case affection means love and friendship. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:10. "Be kindly affectionate
to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another." Notice here in Romans, Paul equates affection
with Brotherly love, honor, kindliness, and giving the one another preferential treatment.
We can use the term brotherly love or friendship, this kind of affection should manifest itself in many ways:
First, in the way we work and play together.
To dwell above with saints we love,
That will be grace and glory.
To live below with saints we know;
Now, that's another story!
Then there is this story, An ingenious teenager, tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister, decided
to record several of her favorite stories on tape. He told her, "now you can hear your stories anytime you want. Isn't that
great?" She looked at the machine for a moment and then replied, "No. It hasn't got a lap."
We all need a lap. We all need the closeness of relationship. We all need to know we are loved. An incident
is told about two soldiers who had recently been released from a prison camp in Siberia following World War II. "We did our
best," said an officer, "to repatriate the men as fast as possible, but many were still there when winter threatened to close
up the port." Only a limited number could board the last small boat. Among those waiting to be transported were two who had
been chums all through the war. One of them was selected, but the other seemed doomed to remain behind. An order was given
that those who were leaving could take only one important item of luggage. The heart of the man who was chosen went out to
his buddy, so he emptied his duffle bag of its prized souvenirs and his personal belongings and told his companion to get
into the canvas sack. Then carefully lifting the bag on his shoulders, he boarded the ship with his friend as his single,
most precious possession. This man truly loved his neighbor as himself.
As people in a relationship with a spouse, we all need to know that we are valued, that we are loved and that
we are wanted.
Every human being on this planet, needs three things, after the basic necessities of life are met.
We all need Acceptance. We need to know that we are accepted for who and what we are, for who and what God
created us to be.
We all need Appreciation and Affirmation. To have those we care about appreciate and affirm the contribution
we make to their lives.
We all need Affection. We need to know that those people we care about love and want us.
