Intentionally building a culture is different than working to change behavior.  LOVE IS FEARLESS is working to build cultures of love because people behave differently in a culture of love than they do in a culture of fear.

Building cultures of love offers us a new menu of things to love.  In a culture of fear, what starts out as a "love" relationship often ends up as a relationship of bondage.  Think about  Lay's potato chips, Netflix, shopping, or video games.  

In this episode we discuss the differences between affections and addictions. Use these questions to sort your own list of "Things I LOVE" into these two categories--and keep choosing love in all the ways you invest your time and energy in true affections, instead of addictions.

What does love do?  (True affections offer us these benefits.)

• Love makes us stronger.
• Love contributes to maturity.
• Love has an impact and influence for good--even in our pain or struggle or trauma.
• Love tells us the truth...in love.
• Love offers freedom.
• Love wants the best for you.

What does love not do? (These things are often true of addictions.)

• Love does not always give us our own way--if it's not a healthy way.
• Love offers us the presence of something good in our pain, but does not always relieve our pain.
• Love doesn't always makes things easier.
• Love doesn't make demands--or offer "golden handcuffs."
• Love does not use you for personal gain.

This episode offers these key TAKE AWAYS:

1. Affections influence us in the ways of freedom, not bondage.  Affections invite us to create and contribute and conquer--not each other, but conquer our fears.
2. Cultivate a healthy skepticism of your own affections.  Truth is essential.  Sometimes truth offers a hard stop...or a significant u-turn.  Sometimes love sits down for a season, to take a deep breath and be reminded of the truth.
3. Being good may have nothing to do with love.  It may have everything to do with being smart or successful or talented.  But many smart, successful, and talented people are missing out on love--and so are the people closest to them.

Visit loveisfearless.com to download a free resource to help you choose love over fear today--and to join the cause.  Subscribe to LOVE IS FEARLESS on your favorite podcast provider--and thank you for sharing this episode with your friends.

 

We mention these resources in this episode:

Visit john15academy.com to learn more about our work to build schools without fear.  

Thank you, Jon Schmidt and Stephen Sharp Nelson for being a great affection to share with our grandchildren.  https://thepianoguys.com/

The Houston Astros are a team that loves each other well. Listen to the reporter's question, and A. J. Hinch's response in this post game interview--this is LOVE! You don't need to listen to the whole video; listen to what he says from 2:50--3:30.