We love our Peeps!

We love our peeps!  No, not these peeps.  I am talking about the peeps at our church.  Every so often when Stuart speaks at Waters Edge, he tries to explain just how much he loves his people.  It is really hard to explain, though.  We may not know a lot of the people that attend Waters Edge, but we love them deeply.  Kind of weird, huh?  I think that God has given most pastors or people in ministry this kind of weird love thing.

There are so many people in our lives that we love that we cannot explain its depth using words.  We try.  We say, "I love you to the moon and back" or "I love you this much".  The other day, Taylor told me, "Mommy, I love you more than my eyes."  Wow, now that is love!  We love our parents, our spouses and our kids.  I'd have to say, for our family, we also love our church.  I cannot explain its depth using words, but God's Word gives us a beautiful picture of what I am talking about.

In the Bible, there are a several different words in the Greek that are used for love.  One type of love that is mentioned in the New Testament is agape love.  Agape love is of God and from God.  It is related to obedience and commitment, and not necessarily feeling and emotion.   It is an exercise of will, a deliberate choice.  Obviously, Jesus Christ exhibited the perfect agape love for us.  But, I believe that most pastors love their people with this kind of agape love too.       

We really do love our peeps!  I know that because when one person leaves Waters Edge for some reason or another it hurts like the dickens.  You would think that with almost 3,000 people that attend on Sundays that it wouldn't hurt, but it does.  I know that because when someone calls because they have had a death in the family, it hurts!  I know that because when someone gets engaged, our heart is happy for them!  I know that because when someone loses their job, it hurts.

I am so grateful that God has allowed Stuart to pastor so many people.  We love the people that God has placed at Waters Edge...I think that we love them more than our eyes!