Be The Merry Christmas
Read 1 John 3:11
The Truth is:
1. Jesus' simple command requires greater strength than any of us naturally possess - it requires the Holy Spirit. None of us is born with a heart of perfect love. Many are sweethearts. Others are hard-hearted. And a whole lotta people are somewhere in the middle depending on the situation.
2. Most of us are a little sparing in our effort to love one another. We spend time on what we love and deem to be important for our sake. For many of us these choices are valid: time with family and friends, work, prayer, maybe serving the needy, maybe fighting for rights and culture, maybe protesting all that is wrong with the world. Even so, what eternal good comes from our works?
As the Scripture reminds us, “if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:3).
In another words, all yours and my virtue-signaling ain’t worth a hill beans if our heart isn’t truly in it. If we’ve maybe made it into a duty, or worse a boast (even unconsciously), then we’ve failed to love as Jesus has loved us. Because—you see—that’s the measure. Not what others think or what we think, but what He (Jesus) did.
Make love a priority:
We must make our love for one another a priority in our lives. It must get beyond the narrow limits of our counting houses (Scrooge reference intended). Even though we have the freedom to set our own priorities, Jesus made a point of defining certain ones of them for us: "'Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your strength, with ALL your spirit, and with ALL your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-39). No gray area in there. No wiggle room. “All” being the operative word.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said it in this way, "our responsibility as Christians is to discover the meaning of this command and seek passionately to live it out in our daily lives."
Why is it so important for our survival? In the grand scheme of things, why is it so damn important? Well—because it does come down to what damns our hopes and dreams. Jesus even told us why it’s so damn important—"All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands"
Try as we might, without true love there is no hope for us. This isn’t about putting on the righteous ritz every Sunday morning and then back to business as usual come Monday morning. Jesus was very clear on this—"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). “…Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:10).
Jesus' simple command requires greater strength than any of us naturally possess. The vivacious virtue of love distinguishes the Christian. We are distinguishable because we love God and seek to understand his love so we might reflect Him in our own lives as best we can. God's plan from the beginning was to develop a people that reflected his character. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God. The virtue of love incarnated in those who love God. Christ Jesus has no hands, but our hands; no feet, but our feet. We are his ambassadors, representing him to the world.
Do Not Be Mislead By Fake News:
Do not confuse Christian love with its modern counterfeits - desires and lust, sentimentality and superstition, and self-aggrandizement. While love is a wonderful, warm feeling, it is not only a feeling. In fact, as far as the Bible is concerned, love is primarily an active interest in the well-being of another person. Love opens up its life to another person. It goes beyond sentimental feelings. It can’t be condensed into a greeting card, yard sign, colorful ribbon, protest march, or government programs. Love comes from a veiled dignity.
“Christian love is the most costly investment you will ever make.”
—C. S. Lewis
True love does the unexpected. True love always costs. If there is no cost there is no love. The measure of our true Christian maturity is our love for God and our love for others. If we fail in our love we have missed what it means to be a Christian. If you lack in love Jesus wants to show His mercy toward you today, to cleanse your loveless heart and fill it with His loving Holy Spirit. Place your trust in Christ and let Him teach you how to love as He has loved you. Receive His forgiveness and mercy. And become His love.