Some of the most important elements of life seem to defy definition. For instance, what is happiness? Perhaps you are satisfied with the description that Charles Schultz made popular years ago in his Peanuts comic strip: “Happiness is a warm puppy.”
The Peanuts gang also took a stab at defining love. In a collection of their combined efforts entitled, Love is Walking Hand in Hand, you’ll find such gems as “Love is mussing up someone’s hair” and “Love is loaning your best comic magazines.” While these sentiments may begin to communicate something about the nature of love, they certainly leave a lot to be desired.
Lots of other people from many walks of life—poets, philosophers, theologians, and academics—have attempted to define, describe and express this elemental emotion. Still we struggle with what it means to allow it to become the defining principle of our lives.
That is the challenge Jesus presents his followers when he gives them a “new” command: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Even as he gives his followers this “new” command, Jesus also gives them a clue about a new way to live into it. Our standard for loving others is Jesus’ love for us.
When we begin to examine how Jesus put his love into action, we learn that love is more than making someone feel warm inside. It is more than just giving something to someone else. When Jesus expresses his love toward us, he doesn’t just give us something, he gives us himself. Therefore, the essence of the Christian understanding of love is that we give ourselves away. Love is an expression of the character of Jesus. He is calling us to reflect the light of his love to others.
Jesus showed his love by living a life that expressed truth, grace, and justice. He proved that he could be trusted. He accepted those whom others had cast aside. He showed compassion to those who had been treated unfairly. These expressions of love stood in stark contrast to the darkness that was the result of widespread deception, mercilessness, and injustice.
I hope you will engage in this challenge to more fully understand the love of Jesus because he promises, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35). By our love followers of Jesus will be recognized as God’s people. The result: many will be drawn to become disciples themselves.
That is a fruit worth cultivating.
No comments:
Post a Comment