Love is universal. It exists in every culture, everywhere humans exist. While various languages refer to it in various ways, the idea is everywhere. And, of course, biblically that's a certainty because "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Since God is omnipresent, love must be, too. So ... why is it a specific sign of Christmas, for instance, while in so many other places and times and interactions, it's absent ... painfully so? Why are there bullies and mean people and wars? And why have we, in our day, equated "love" and "sex" as if they're the same? Do we even know what love is?
First Corinthians contains the famous "love" chapter. In it, Paul describes (not defines) love (1 Cor 13:4-8). He lists many of its qualities. And our world sees it and even makes art of it to hang on our walls.
Imagine what it would look like if, at least, followers of Christ were marked by love of that kind (John 13:35). Imagine if we loved as Jesus loved (John 15:12). Imagine if we loved sacrificially, without seeking our own interests, rejoicing in truth, bearing and believing all things. Imagine if we loved one another with a love that didn't end. What would marriages look like? What would churches look like? What would friendships look like? What would families look like? It would be revolutionary ... because very few of us today recognize that kind of love.
9 comments:
This love doesn't come naturally to us. We can only have it as a part of God's grace. We need to be praying more than daily for the ability to have this sort of love for those in our lives. Thank the Lord that He does provide it.
Congratulations for 32 years and for the message pointing to it. My beloved and I recently celebrated our 48th.
I think that love is a wonderful theme for New Year’s Day (even sans wedding anniversaries :). May each of us experience the love of God in greater measure during 2025--both in the possession of it and in the sharing of it.
I know that this particular “love chapter” is often tapped in connection with wedding ceremonies (even by nonbelievers, to whom I say, “Good luck doing that in your own strength!”), but its context in God’s word (within a discussion of using our spiritual gifts in a loving fashion) shows its application is much broader than marriage advice, of course. In addition to your good thoughts here, I love this passage from the book, Growing Your Faith: How To Mature In Christ, by Jerry Bridges:
First Corinthians 13 is the classic description of love. If we rephrased the virtues of love in 1 Corinthians 13 in terms of motivational statements, they might sound something like this:
I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you.
I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you.
I do not envy your possessions or your gifts because I love you and want you to have the best.
I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours.
I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.
I am not rude because I love you and care about your feelings.
I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs.
I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.
I do not keep a record of your wrongs because I love you, and “love covers a multitude of sins.”
As you say, this represents the attitudes and actions that mark a true believer in Jesus Christ. Imagine if I loved others that way, indeed. Well, “new year, new me!”
Happy Anniversary. This kind of self sacrificial love is so contrary to our nature and culture, that it's a miracle when we even attempt to live it out.
In yet another book of mine (this one on the fruit of the Spirit), the chapter on the “love fruit” lists these helpful section headings:
Christ--Love’s Example
God--Love’s Source
Redemption--Love’s Purpose
Transformation--Love’s Power
Obedience--Love’s Test
Visibility--Love’s Action
Inclusiveness--Love’s Limits
Acceptance--Love’s Ability
Even without the context of the chapter’s contents to flesh the phrases out, I found them good food for thought just by themselves.
I wonder about any biblical backing on "visibility", "inclusiveness", or "acceptance", but, of course, that's a question in a vacuum, since I'd obviously have to read the book. I know that some (not you) think that "inclusiveness," for instance, in its broadest form is a "God thing" -- something that God endorses, but Scripture disagrees.
I am happy to clarify those. For “visibility,” the author discusses evidences and demonstrations of love for others, i.e. “making our love concrete” rather than invisible or being merely “lip service.” (James 2:15-16 comes to mind.) For “inclusiveness,” he discusses “loving the unlovely, the unacceptable, and the rejected of our world,” in the way that “Jesus receives the unreceivable--the woman at the well, Zacchaeus, Matthew, Mary, Simon, and others.” For “acceptance,” the author’s thoughts were along those same lines, i.e. loving others who might be different from us, perhaps outside our comfort zone or our social circle. The Good Samaritan was given as an example. So those last two phrases are moreso about being willing to show God’s love to all kinds of people and not being closed-minded, disparaging, and judgmental in harmful ways. (I can affirm that he was not using those phrases in the way that many do these days) (this book was published in 1993).
Yes, Lorna, you cleared things up. Unfortunately, our world keeps shifting important concepts contained in important words into a twisted version.
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