1 Peter 1:22
“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,”
There was a beautiful song from my youth in church. A few lines go like this, “They will know we are christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are christians by our love.” This is to be the hallmark of the christian. If we aren’t loving, then we might not be christians.
I Corinthians 13 speaks of the wonderful deeds that were wasted due to a lack of love. Verses 1-3 says, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” Spiritual giftedness, spiritual insight, faith, generousity and martyrdom are of no personal profit, if there isn’t love.
How can all of these great things be worthless? Sure, there is some profit, but by God’s measures, no. I can see great halls built by the donations of the wealthy, it profits the donors nothing without love. Great contributions of faith bring nothing to the contributer without faith.
Love can be seen and felt. It inspires. Things done without love can also be sensed. It’s like a vibe that is given off. The self centered, self promoting motives are also obvious. Selfishness breeds selfishness. An environment of “if I’m gonna get, I’d better start getting” is present. Like kids scrambling for pinata candy, selfishness pushes others away. Shortness and impatience arises. People begin to snap at each other. The loving person can resist this.
Real love heals, enriches and inspires. The loving can put their agenda aside and focus on loving others. They aren’t desperate to get their needs met. They can pause their lives and reach out. A teacher can excersize one’s gifts in love. It may be felt in the tone. Possibly a slight rebuke is needed. That’s risky. It may be loving to take that risk. In the end, the loving motive is obvious.
Love can put it’s needs aside for the sake of others. Love isn’t saying the needs of others are more important. We all have value. By going the second mile, Jesus isn’t saying this because the person is better. During the first mile, the person thinks that. When we go the second mile, the person is curious as to why. We can tell them of God’s love. It’s like a mystery. They don’t get it. It’s heavenly, something higher. We can set our needs aside, because we know God loves us and will care for us. We trust that He put that need in our path, even though we may not feel able, we trust that He will meet our needs.
Love can put it’s needs aside for the sake of others. Love isn’t saying the needs of others are more important. We all have value. By going the second mile, Jesus isn’t saying this because the person is better. During the first mile, the person thinks that. When we go the second mile, the person is curious as to why. We can tell them of God’s love. It’s like a mystery. They don’t get it. It’s heavenly, something higher. We can set our needs aside, because we know God loves us and will care for us. We trust that He put that need in our path, even though we may not feel able, we trust that He will meet our needs.
We aren’t allowing others to abuse us. Sometimes we say “no”, other times we go the second mile. We don’t take every request. God gives us a choice. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” The loving person loves cheerfully. They don’t have a martyr’s attitude (in the whiny sense). It’s all on a case by case basis.
Loving takes faith. We trust that He will care for our needs, but faith that He’ll bless us. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” The immediate context is money, but the same principle applies. Love can give when it feels empty. The person is almost excited. “Let’s see how God will meet this need.”
Lord, help us to love like you. Give us the faith to love. Let it permeate into all of our being. Thank You, Lord.
Lord, help us to love like you. Give us the faith to love. Let it permeate into all of our being. Thank You, Lord.