love: demanding versus inviting
Love.
We can spend a lot of time, effort and money trying to adequately express our love and devotion to those important in our lives. We find ourselves being filled up when we are on the receiving end of this.
Love is important; it is good. Scripture strongly advocates it!
In fact, how we love draws in the watching world.
Drawn in to wonder…ask…seek…ultimately follow Jesus.
Our love CAN be our greatest testimony of a changed life to those around us…is it?
The old song, “They will know we are Christians by our love”.
Does this still ring true today?
Or do our lifestyles suggest otherwise?
Why We Love:
“We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 ESV).
Simply stated, this is the whole premise for our love. This truth fuels and empowers our ability to love.
We are loved in our sinfulness, brokenness, our “not having anything to offer”.
We are loved and treasured enough by God Himself, so much that He gave us His very son. These are often stated words, but what wonder and awe that pours forth as we intentionally consider this truth with fresh contemplation.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 CSB)
What a beautiful and incomprehensible picture of love!
God’s holiness demands perfection and righteousness-something each of us are unable to provide…but through Jesus, we are offered life, and a love radically displayed!
“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35 CSB)
How We Love:
We love differently than the world.
We love when it is not shown or reciprocated. In fact, we are encouraged to “love our enemies”, to even “pray for them” (Matthew 5:43-48). This love is impossible! Have you ever tried it? It can be hard stuff!
Enter in the Gospel…ready and willing to transform our striving into a radical display of His grace. This love becomes possible only through the working of the Holy Spirit.
As we learn to grow in our recognition of our inability but His ability, we experience this unimaginable power even more!
We Love Well:
Have you ever considered how we might “demand” love versus invite it in?
It can be easy for us to rattle off a list to our spouse, kids, or those around us on how we want to be loved, appreciated or encouraged. We can find ourselves saying, “If you love me, you will show me by doing this or treating me in this manner.”
We offer our words to them, thinking their adherence to our directives will bring us happiness, fulfillment, the feeling of being valued or treasured.
In reality, those very words may do the exact opposite.
Practically Speaking…What Would That Look Like?
What if instead of articulating our “demands”, we quietly chose to treat them in the manner we desire?
Hang with me in this….
What if we stopped pursuing our own agenda and to-dos and set aside a space of time to hear and engage with them?
What if we began asking questions about topics that interested them?
What if we purposefully pursued writing a quick note, even a post-it, citing a “fruit” of the Spirit’s work in their life?
What if we focused on one thing that we appreciated about them…and made it a point to tell them?
The Invitation
All of a sudden we have invited them in. We have extended an invitation to come and experience maybe just a fraction of the love He has shown us – an “other-centered, other-world, unexplainable” kind of love.
A love that draws others in to love in a similar fashion.
We don’t love to get but rather because His love compels us to-we cannot help but overflow with what He has poured into our hearts in great abundance.
This is a truth He is beginning to open my eyes to. I don’t land here as much as I wish, but I want to grow in this area.
How beautiful our lives can be, as we are daily remade in His image, allowing others to experience an extension of Jesus’ love. Our wishes and preferences fall by the wayside. His ability to love, and to love well, fills us.
I want to leave us with a challenge. Will you join with me in praying on how to invite love into our lives? I believe we can apply this approach to every relationship in our life. As you sense the Lord lead, would you comment below this post on what you did and the result? Or if you rather send an email, here is the direct link. I think we can sometimes shy away from sharing something we have done for fear of pride sneaking in. I wonder how much encouragement and learning from each other we might gain as we do share of His work in this.
Blessings as we bring this before Him, asking Him to enlighten and enable us to better love one another.
