“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 8, 13 NLT
We have been trained to live righteously, preach and teach righteousness, and uphold the standard. We have learned and seen models of service, giving, and rule following. HOWEVER, we have had to learn to put on love and show (express) love just as it was evident in the ministry of JESUS. Loving others has not always been modeled as an outward showing. The concepts of tough love are pervasive in culture. And many times, we have ascribe to this same practice. However, JESUS displayed a visible love for people. HE responded out of love and handled people in love. There are numerous scriptures that talks about JESUS being moved with compassion for the people (see list below).
So now what? Well, what we have been doing is favorable in GOD’s eyes. The ministry, the work, the showing up, the perseverance. It’s all good and great. AND HE has a reminder for us…. “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”
Revelation 2:2-5 NLT
One must be full of the Spirit of GOD and must receive the love of GOD in their own life to show the LOVE of GOD. I have had many moments in my life where I have felt that I needed to earn love or be worthy of love. And the adversary tries to still bring that up. What I must do, not only in these moments but ongoing, is run to the presence of the loving Father who wants to spend time with me and commune with me. HE is not just giving marching orders and correction, HE wants to renew my strength and shower me with love. HE wants to provide for me. HE wants to protect me. AND I must be receptive to HIS love.
We know very well that the adversary’s greatest tactic is deception. There is an understanding that while all things are available in GOD that we need for life and Godliness, we MUST access these things through faith. This includes faith to believe GOD loves me and HE wants to do good things for me and through me. SO I have to believe.
Once I believe that GOD loves me, I can have a regular refreshing experience of that love. I am then able to love others including my enemies. I am able to forgive those that have wronged me. And here is the amazing thing: GOD fills me with HIS love, so that I can love others and then HE gives me the reward and benefit for that love. During my most recent work situation, the LORD continued to call me to love my coworker. Despite all that was being done, HIS answer remained “love her.” At the time, it felt like an unfair test. And I did not always comply (and I repent). But loving her was for HIS glory and my benefit.
“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
Colossians 3:13-14 NLT
When you have a loving relationship with GOD, the fullness of that love allows you to love others. Even those who persecute you.
How have you been loving? (Rhetorical and for us all)
The many instances compassion was shown and recorded:
Luke 7:13
Matthew 15:32
Isaiah 40:11
Matthew 9:36
Matthew 14:14
Matthew 18:11-13
Matthew 20:34