Let’s Talk about LOVE

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:18

Love. The word is thrown around quite carelessly. It’s definition is stretched and deformed like a piece of silly putty. So what does love truly look like? Well, my friend, God not only commands us to love, but He also defines and exemplifies it.

Jesus Christ is our perfect example of love. He loved in deed and truth, but He didn’t get pushed around. His love was infused with meekness—a strength and wisdom that balanced boundaries and sacrifice. His love wasn’t enslaved to the whims of bullies. Rather His love was ruled by the strength of knowing the difference between true sacrifice and the unreasonable demands that conflicted with Who He was and His God-given purpose.

There’s a lot of “love shaming” that goes on in our culture these days. You need to understand that God’s commanded love is not intended to enslave you to the endless whims of others. By God’s grace, you can shine His kind of love through strength and wisdom as you fulfill His purpose for your life. 1 Corinthians 13 clearly pictures a love full of action that still allows for healthy boundaries:

LOVE…
Love is patient
Love is kind
Love does not envy others
Love does not boast of themself
Love is not arrogant – thinking of themself as more significant
Love is not rude
Love is not selfish
Love is not easily irritated
Love does not think evil or carry resentment (assumes the best while seeking the truth)
Love rejoices in truth, but does not rejoice in evil
Love bears or covers all things (protects the faults of others from public scrutiny)
Love believes all things—believing the best until proven otherwise (the wise will seek the truth; 1John 4:1; Proverbs 14:15)
Love hopes all things—a continual pursuit of hope in every situation and relationship
Love endures all things—committed to endure the pains of conflict without wavering from these acts of love

This love is one of beautiful meekness from a place of strength and wisdom. Jesus modeled it. Without it, we are nothing. With it, we shine God’s love to the world, showing them what it truly means to love.