The love that
God expects us to show to others is, as you've heard a thousand times
before, not like the love that dominates the world in which we live. It
is a love that is possible only to the depth to which someone has
submitted all that he is to the Spirit's control. It is a labor of
love, hard work. Its greatest enemy is the love of self, a love that is
demonstrated by one's love for the world and the things of the world.
It is a spontaneous love. Its reaction to need is compassion. It doesn't ask, "How will my giving of myself, my goods, or my time inconvenience me.?" It doesn't ask, "How will my loving others endanger me, my resources, or my future?" It just responds in love to every need, great or small--cheerfully.
It is an inclusive love. All who come into contact with the Spirit-controlled Christian sense that love and are objects of its concern. Rich or poor, young or old, Christian or non-Christian, obedient or disobedient, thankful or unthankful, all are loved. Yet, it never condones sin in any may; never in an attempt to mitigate the consequences does it try to intervene when God is working so that the lesson that God intends to teach is undermined and made ineffectual. It is a love that humbly and eagerly waits to embrace the struggling sinner and to insure them of God's eternal, inescapable love. It is a love that they know well in their own struggles with disobedience.
It is a fearless love. Other people's opinions are of no concern. Like their Savior, the rumors and innuendos that might try to squelch and to cheapen their love are of no avail. It doesn't matter what others may say; all that matters is that those in need of love know they are indeed worthy of being loved. "Dinner" with the tax collectors, harlots, non-practicing Christians, vagabonds of the street, or whoever is in need of acceptance and love is the highlight of the day. They are only "paying" the unpayable debt of love that they received in Jesus. It is a continual, infinite, eternal debt they willing remit.
It is a forgiving love. No one has hurt them so deeply that they cannot be forgiven. No one has done something so stupid that it cannot be overlooked and "covered" with a forgiving heart. "Love covers a multitude of sins." No one's behavior annuls grace. No one's behavior is too great to be beyond forgiveness. Grace is greater than all sins.
It is a spiritual love. People are always more important than things. It is a love that cannot be bought or sold. It is non-manipulative. It abhors self-image. If those being loved reject or scorn that love, it only deepens and grows. In tears it wishes that they would allow themselves to be sheltered under the wings of Spirit-engendered love. It knows that it is a love relationship that produces obedience and not enforced obedience that produces love. It knows that if people will just allows themselves to know and experience Christ's love, that obedience will cease to be a burden and become a source of joy. It is a love that sees the people of God as His little children, His friends, the sheep of His pasture, the apple of His eye, the majestic ones who are His delight. And through faith, seeing them thus--and themselves--as God sees them, their love for others is spontaneous, inclusive, fearless, and forgiving--a spiritual love. The Spirit's love miraculously shining through them.
It is a spontaneous love. Its reaction to need is compassion. It doesn't ask, "How will my giving of myself, my goods, or my time inconvenience me.?" It doesn't ask, "How will my loving others endanger me, my resources, or my future?" It just responds in love to every need, great or small--cheerfully.
It is an inclusive love. All who come into contact with the Spirit-controlled Christian sense that love and are objects of its concern. Rich or poor, young or old, Christian or non-Christian, obedient or disobedient, thankful or unthankful, all are loved. Yet, it never condones sin in any may; never in an attempt to mitigate the consequences does it try to intervene when God is working so that the lesson that God intends to teach is undermined and made ineffectual. It is a love that humbly and eagerly waits to embrace the struggling sinner and to insure them of God's eternal, inescapable love. It is a love that they know well in their own struggles with disobedience.
It is a fearless love. Other people's opinions are of no concern. Like their Savior, the rumors and innuendos that might try to squelch and to cheapen their love are of no avail. It doesn't matter what others may say; all that matters is that those in need of love know they are indeed worthy of being loved. "Dinner" with the tax collectors, harlots, non-practicing Christians, vagabonds of the street, or whoever is in need of acceptance and love is the highlight of the day. They are only "paying" the unpayable debt of love that they received in Jesus. It is a continual, infinite, eternal debt they willing remit.
It is a forgiving love. No one has hurt them so deeply that they cannot be forgiven. No one has done something so stupid that it cannot be overlooked and "covered" with a forgiving heart. "Love covers a multitude of sins." No one's behavior annuls grace. No one's behavior is too great to be beyond forgiveness. Grace is greater than all sins.
It is a spiritual love. People are always more important than things. It is a love that cannot be bought or sold. It is non-manipulative. It abhors self-image. If those being loved reject or scorn that love, it only deepens and grows. In tears it wishes that they would allow themselves to be sheltered under the wings of Spirit-engendered love. It knows that it is a love relationship that produces obedience and not enforced obedience that produces love. It knows that if people will just allows themselves to know and experience Christ's love, that obedience will cease to be a burden and become a source of joy. It is a love that sees the people of God as His little children, His friends, the sheep of His pasture, the apple of His eye, the majestic ones who are His delight. And through faith, seeing them thus--and themselves--as God sees them, their love for others is spontaneous, inclusive, fearless, and forgiving--a spiritual love. The Spirit's love miraculously shining through them.
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