On the Basis of Love

It seems like everyone knows that the fundamental characteristic of Christianity is supposed to be love. I see it in Scripture. I hear it from the pulpit. I hear it thrown back at Christians when they apparently fail to do it. "I thought Jesus taught that you're supposed to love everybody!" It seems pretty clear that this is common knowledge ... and I wouldn't want to even dispute it. Jesus told His disciples, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). When asked what the greatest commandment was, He answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29-31). I mean, seriously, what Christian would want to disagree with Christ? The fundamental ethic of Christianity is love.

I wonder, then, what would happen if we consider that in our daily living. Imagine what life would be like if our first consideration was love for God and love for others. It would certainly reorder our time priorities. Time spent with God would become #1 on our list ... not way down the list. Prayer would be a priority. Time in God's Word would be priority. Time at church would be a priority. Long before we ask, "What shall we watch on TV?" we would have already consumed that kind of "spare time" on God. Then would come those God has put in our lives, starting with family. Time spent with our spouse and our children would certainly rate above "time to myself". Time for neighbors (because, after all, "love your neighbor" is a direct command, isn't it?) would rate high on our priorities on how we spend time. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that if I ordered my priorities based on the singular command to love, I wouldn't have a whole lot of spare time for television or other self-amusements. It would reorder our financial priorities as well. It would place God at the top of the receiving list, family at #2, and others around us at #3. Our own personal pleasures would fall way down the list of where we spend our money if love is our rule of thumb.

One thing that struck me in thinking about this was in the area where I spend some of my time: dialog. In Eph. 4:15 we are instructed to speak the truth in love. Love must temper our conversation just as much as truth does. In other words, there should be two basic descriptors for our speech: It is true and it is predicated on love. Now, understanding that how love is displayed may vary, it must still be the primary motivator of our conversation. Think of it this way. You come across someone with whom you disagree. You think they are wrong. You even have good arguments to demonstrate it. Before you speak, make sure that your motivation is love. If you don't love that person with whom you disagree, simply speaking the truth is out of order. If you don't love that person with whom you disagree, you ought not be engaging them in dialog. I think it's a patently obvious that if you do love that person, what you express may be the same, but how you express it will be ... loving. You will not disagree to prove them wrong. You will not disagree to prove yourself right. You will not simply speak the truth for the sake of the truth. You will try to present the truth in such a way that they will be benefited ... because your primary motivation is love.

The hallmark of a follower of Christ is supposed to be love. If we are to let our light shine before men so that they can glorify God, we need to do it by first loving God and second loving those around us. It will change your priorities in time, finances, and just about every other aspect of life. It will definitely change how you address people in conversation. If I can make a rule for myself not to argue with someone unless I love them first, I think it will be of benefit to me and to them. I suspect it would be true for all Christians. And I tell you this because I love you.