I have often wondered what true love really looks like. We have the worlds view of love which consists of all the right factors being in place for them to “love” someone. As soon as those factors begin to change however, and they are not so appealing anymore, the love they had for their parents, friends or spouse may be in for a blow. When I want to understand what true and enduring love looks like, I need to look no further than Jesus Christ. He loved the unlovable. He loved us to the death. The dictionary has various definitions of love, but the true definition is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."
Have I ever loved someone like that? I have seen how my love for people in my life is often self-focused. If they are behaving in a way I like, I love them. If they are kind to me, I love them. If they love me, I love them. But do I love them when they are unlovable? Do I love them when they sin against me? By God’s grace alone I think I do still love people even when it’s hard, but I am painfully deficient and want to do better. I don't love them like Christ loves me. I often love with a worldly and seflish love. I want to truly Love those God has currently placed in my life. I want to truly Love in future relationships. I don’t want to stop loving people when it’s hard or when they don’t fit into my preferences or ideals. Learning to love in the way that scripture speaks of is a process. And God often uses various circumstances to teach us. God is the Master teacher.
“Mercifully, God does not leave us to choose our own curriculum. His wisdom is perfect, His knowledge embraces not only all worlds but the individual hearts and minds of each of His loved children. With intimate understanding of our deepest needs and individual capacities, He chooses our curriculum. We need only ask, "Give us this day our daily bread, our daily lessons, our homework." An angry retort from someone may be just the occasion we need in which to learn not only longsuffering and forgiveness, but meekness and gentleness; fruits not born in us but borne only by the Spirit. As Amy Carmichael wrote, "A cup brimful of sweetness cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, no matter how suddenly jarred" God's curriculum for all who sincerely want to know Him and do His will will always include lessons we wish we could skip. But the more we apply ourselves, the more honestly we can say what the psalmist said: "I, thy servant, will study thy statutes. / Thy instruction is my continual delight; / I turn to it for counsel. / I will run the course set out in thy commandments, / for they gladden my heart" (Psalm 119:23, 24, 32).” E.E.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things. Love never ends. - I am praying that I can truly love this way one day.
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