Unselfish Love

Love is pretty important to God.

When the disciples asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment, He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment."

I find it interesting that, while Jesus wasn't asked about the second greatest commandment, He included it in His response because loving each other should be inseparable from loving God. I also find it interesting that He refers to the first and second commandments as ONE commandment. Jesus was intentional with His response. Shouldn't we be intentional with ours?

The word "love" is in the NIV translation 697 times! That is more than any other verb. More than believe, forgive, obey, praise or rejoice. LOVE is important to God. After all... God is love.

As believers we are called to love God above all and to love each other. We are even instructed on what, who and how to love.

We are to love truth, peace and mercy.
We are to love the family of believers and our neighbors.
We are to love sinners and enemies.
We are to love sincerely, humbly and deeply.
Our love for each other is to be sacrificial, putting others' needs above our own.

Bummer! I have to love enemies and I have to love sacrificially! Ugghh!

It's easy to love and to do things for the people we care about... The friends and family members who are always there for us. But what about the people who hurt you? What about the ones that you pour yourself into and get nothing in return? What about the ones who make promises and consistently break them? What about the ones who betray you?

In my life I have been challenged in this area more than my heart can take. But there is growth in these challenges and lessons to be learned in them. God has shown me that loving must be unselfish or it isn't love at all. If I do something for someone with the hope that I will get something in return... my gift wasn't a gift. It was a purchase price.

I must love others, pour into them, do for them, and make sacrifices for them simply because that is what I was called to do. That's what we, as believers, are called to do. Jesus did the same for us but to the extreme. He made the ultimate sacrifice out of love.

They will know we are Christians by our love. Isn't that what the song says? Unselfish love of others is Christ-like love. Others will see Him in our lives if we love with God's selfless, self-sacrificing heart... not our own "expect something in return" heart.

My challenge to each of us is this... give or do something unexpected for someone who has hurt you, or for someone who is just plain mean or grouchy. Love on them in the name of Jesus... even if it hurts... especially if it hurts.

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:6b NIV)

Sweet Blessings,
LeAnn