Last night I was in a dream. Somewhere deep in the dream, my wife woke me with “What is that? When?” I came out of the dream quickly. I moved into thinking someone was in the house. After assuring myself everything was okay, I went back to bed. (She had already gone back to sleep!)

I did not sleep well after. I looked for the place I was in the dream. I had left part of “me” behind. My last recollections in the dream were moving into a home to help people. It was a war zone. I had a knapsack and it had my “possessions” and they were left behind. In this knapsack were supplies. I know they will use them, but I felt empty. Drained.While checking the house to assure myself it was “okay” I stood in front of a mirror and saw things from the dream. There was dirt on my face. I felt like I had entered a kaleidoscope. I became convinced I must “get” where I was. It is not about the possessions or any of that, but about a journey of love. I was sent there to help these people. To walk with them. My awakening circumvented that.

This morning as I drank my coffee, I wondered. Thought. Prayed. The following scripture came to me.

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

Paul prayed for the region’s church. That their love would increase, no wait, not increase, for it speaks of abundance. Of MORE than something, to be great. Not just increase, but to be in a place of over flowing. The word “still” speaks of a state of existence. This love was a real substance that had the potential for value to be added to it in the form of knowledge and understanding (Discernment). The word knowledge here, is to know precisely and correctly the value of the ethical and the divine. It is the reason Paul prays in Ephesians for the “spirit of revelation and wisdom” in the correct assessment of the “ethical and divine”.

The church needs discernment now more than ever before. Real discernment. Not negative speaking suspicion or “hunker down” doubt. Not a “well spoken” platitude but a change in latitude or a correction to our course. (Moving to the side often changes everything.)

Discernment, is the ability to know and have understanding of ethical matters. First one must have knowledge of such things but then, we must have understanding. Discernment transcends the senses and motivates the intellect revealed by cognition. Cognition is where input is transformed. What input? That which comes out of the place of LOVE!

A bad situation. The input comes in and the answer has a cognitive response. Allowing for love to be the “main frame” our response is not just good but God.

As I watched a friend struggle for her dad’s care, the result of the Affordable Care Act, I realized that on the surface, I could get angry. I realized that I could resort to things that would not help. My friend needs a God answer. An answer that is birthed in love and weighted with knowledge and understanding. (By the way, knowledge in a biblical sense is often way more that what “you know” because it is founded in who you know.)

I think the underlying principle of not having people suffer is a “worthy” one. Was not Jesus involved in “social medicine”? “Be healed and sin no more.” Jesus wanted people to be healed and made whole. So there is a strong precedent on many levels.

Without understanding of the grace and love of the Father one can not proceed with the levels of love required to motivate and institute true ethical and moral behaviors. Without knowledge of the divine, one can only attempt to initiate principles of truth going on without the person of truth, Jesus. People without love of the “agape” kind can not move in the same realms. We get a band-aid fix and not a life change.

It is only in the change of existence can one see the difference. That change only occurs in the rebirth or regeneration of your soul. Love is not just the answer but it is the motivating force of the Father for He is love. His love is your love. Decision making, knowledge and understanding apart from His love and the love He has released to His children will NEVER measure up to the values required for the changing of ethical and moral behaviors. A people will never be changed without the precedent of love.

I was reminded of the line, “I left my heart in San Francisco.” Last night I left a piece of me somewhere, somehow. I feel “emptier” for lack of a better description. But I do know it was out of love that I was there and out of love “I left my heart.”

Without love Paul warns us of being “clanging cymbals”. We are in a “world of clang” in so many areas right now because the world has not understood His love.

I often talk of influence and places of influence. The greatest places of influence are motivated and built on love. Influence is divine and can truly only be understood by love as the Father has set in in place. It is not about going somewhere but about being somewhere. You home, workplace or community can all benefit by you be the “somewhere”. Seated in high places expressing His love.

These places of influence will be the lighthouses of the coming day. Their signals will be bright and strong. As more come to understand the power of His love the light will strengthen and increase, reaching further into the darkness until the whole world is bright. It won’t be a lighthouse because of a name or a place, but a people who’s source is abundant love, pouring out in knowledge and discernment.

Turn on the light, let it shine on me,
turn on your love light, let it shine on me
Let it shine, shine, shine, let it shine
I got a little lonely in the middle of the night,
I need you darlin’ to make things all right
A Little bit higher, just a little bit higher
Lyrics By Bobby Blue Bland

Those lyrics are the world’s cry. Perhaps your cry. There is a love light, a love that is light without manipulation or fear that will change your home, your community, the nation and the world. To love light.

You have the opportunity let you love shine into the darkness today. Be a bright light and cause Gizmo to run for cover!