Teach Me How to Love

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing... And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13: 2,13)

We as believers have the blessing of experiencing the greatest love there is: the love of God. What makes God’s love so special is that His love is totally and completely unconditional. The dictionary defines unconditional as “not contingent; not determined or influenced by someone or something else”. That means that love that is truly unconditional is there just because it is. You can’t do anything to earn it and you can’t do anything to lose it. It is love for love's sake. Romans 8:38-39 declares that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Again, it’s there and it isn’t going anywhere.

In celebrating this fact I began to think: if God is love and as believers God lives inside of us, then shouldn’t we also have His love inside of us? If we are truly designed in God’s image and God is love, then we are capable of the same unconditional love that he shares with us. The ability to love is the greatest quality that we as humans have because it the one that most reflects the image of God. Unfortunately it also seems to be one the one we limit the most.

Imagine if we all loved one another, friend or foe, family or neighbor with no pre-requisites and no requirements, expecting nothing in return. Not only would we be a joy to those around us, but our own condition would improve as a result.

There is a certain peace that you get when your feelings about those around you (and yourself for that matter) are not determined or affected by anything other than the fact that you love them. It’s called “perfect peace”.

I challenge us all to ask God, “Teach me how to love as you do, unconditionally”. I know I will be asking God daily to help me.

Love is Life,
Daniel Lee Robertson

The Valentine's Day Challenge

Today being Valentine’s Day, I wanted to take a different approach than the typical jargon you would normally hear on this day and address something that we often don’t like or want to address.

In Matthew 5:44, the Bible instructs us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to do good to those who hate us, and to pray for those who persecute us.

In life, it’s so easy to only love those who love us, to only be nice to those who are nice to us, and only reach out to those with whom we feel a special connection. But, what about those who don’t love us back, those who aren’t nice to us, or those with whom we aren’t close? What about those we don’t get along with on our jobs, those with whom we have had disagreements, or those we just don’t like for whatever reason? Do we treat them the same way or do we treat them differently?

The Bible calls us to do our part – to play our position, if you will – not based on someone else’s actions, but based on what we know is right. Being a Christian, or even being a good person, is not based on what you do, but rather the spirit by which you do what you do. It’s based on your motives, your intentions, and what’s going on in your heart (“For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” – 1 Samuel 16:7).

The fact is that people can fool you by their actions, but their intentions will always show. Satan tempted Jesus by offering Him the entire world (a seemingly good thing), if He would only bow down and worship him. See, his intentions weren’t pure. He expected something in return. His good deeds came at a price.

So what does that mean for us?

It means that love is not an emotion to be shown, but an action to be done, whether or not it is returned to us. We ought to not show love, but do love to others despite what they might do to us. We should be nice to people because we know it is the right thing to do, not simply because someone else is nice to us first.

So, will you do something nice for someone today without expecting something in return? Will you say hello to a stranger on the street? Will you show love to someone on your job who you don’t like? This is my challenge to you today, and every day.

“For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” ~ Matthew 5:46-48