Day 9: Love (part 2)

“… Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Matthew 20:39

I fully intended to go on to another topic today, but God will not let me. Everywhere I turn, it seems like there is something else that pops up in my view reminding me that this topic is so much deeper than what I tried to convey in yesterday’s devotional. So, let us try this one more time! What do you think?

Love is probably one of the hardest battles that we will face as a Christian. Love? A battle? Yes, love is a battle for those who are saved. Why? Because, first of all, love does not come naturally to our human nature. I John 4:8 tells us that “God is love.” So, when we look at God or think of God, we must look and think of Him as the Love. I know that there are a lot of lovey-dovey religions and thinking in our society today, but even they fail to fully comprehend this type of love.

Christ paid that ultimate sacrifice of love on the cross for you and I. We see that in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Whether we love Him in return or not, does not matter … He will still love us!

Do you know why love is such a battle for the Christian? Because when we love as God loves, lives are changed! Our life changes, those we love their lives change, our churches change, and the community around us changes. This makes the devil super mad! He does not want our lives to change. He does not want us to live a life of love for our Savior. He does not want us to love the unlovely … the husband who does not love us in return, the rebellious child who shows hate     towards us, that prickly person who gets under our skin every single time that we are around them (or not!), that boss who just cannot understand where you are coming from, that person who repeatedly and endlessly disrespects you, that person who just loves to manipulate and take advantage of you, and even that in-law that is pulling your loved one away from you. He wants our churches to judge, backbite and slander others. It is no wonder that others do not want what we think that we have … because, sadly, we do not have anything or act any different than they do!

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” I Corinthians 13:1 This is the very first verse in the “love” chapter of the Bible. Why do you think it is first? Because all of the rest is of no value, if we have not gotten this main concept down. The devil wants us to be that loud, obnoxious noise to the world around us, but do not let him deceive you!

How are we going to change the lives of others around us? First, by changing ourselves. Then, as a friend posted on Facebook Sunday, “You have to love them, and when you have shown the love of God to them and are no longer a ‘tinkling cymbal’ to them, then, open your Bible and teach them [about] a loving, yet holy, God.” Remember, actions speak louder than words, my friend! May we change our words so that our actions will follow!