I'll bet several different things just popped into your head at the mention of those four letters. Maybe you thought of your spouse or your child, your best friend, or any number of other things that the word love evokes in us. I'm not really planning to talk about any specific relationship. There will be no cheesy,mushy talk within this post.
In 1 Corinthians 13 (a passage that is frequently read at weddings) we learn the attributes of love. In that chapter we also learn the attributes of God Himself. God is love. We can love only because he loved us first. It says so in 1 John 4:19. That is a statement that should ground you. Take a minute and really think about it. You can love that person only because God loved you first. Without Him there is no love. Holy Spirit in you is how you are able to love. It's how the selfishness of your flesh can be conquered so you can put another persons needs in front of your own. That is a big deal. We are a society obsessed with self gratification and a vast majority of that is done in an instant thanks to technology. We have instant access to countless television shows and movies, food can be cooked in minutes, family can be reached in a matter of seconds through a telephone call. All of this to say that we look out for ourselves because our flesh craves it. But our flesh doesn't have the last say. It can be fought and wrestled into chains. You can put another person before you. It's not impossible, it might not always be easy but it isn't impossible and God is how we can do that.
Let's take it a step further though. Take away our selfishness and look at love from another vantage point. Love isn't easy, C.S. Lewis said it best. "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.To love at all is to be vulnerable."
That is huge. If we love anything at all person, pet, anything we are opening ourselves to being hurt. That is a dangerous place to be. We don't like to be hurt. So we seal ourselves away from others. Maybe we keep people at arms lengths without letting them in all the way or just don't invest in relationships at all because people being human are going to mess up. Sooner or later you are going to get hurt, intentionally or not, someone someday will hurt you.
Here is the thing though; Love is powerful. A love like God puts within us as His children is like nothing this world will ever be able to replicate. This love means vulnerability. It means you are open and honest and putting yourself out there to get hurt because you are loving others. But this isn't just love between spouses or friends or family. This is how we love the least of these. The people most of the world ignores. It's how we go into poverty stricken places and give our hearts to people that have nothing. We don't receive monetary gifts from them, we get back love. Sometimes we get hurt. It isn't easy getting close to people and loving them with all that is within you only to leave a week, a month, years later because God has called you away. But it's worth it. Telling people of Christ and His love, loving them as we are called to do and growing all the closer to God in doing so is our reward.
That love is what propels people to go to areas where it's not a possibility but a probability they won't return, because there are people all over the world who don't know God and they will seek them out and tell them even if it means they die because of it. Love makes people do things that look insane when in reality they are just acting on an outpouring of the love within them. A love that comes not from another sinful human but a perfect, just, and holy God.
Which brings me to my last point: Love is action. It isn't fluffy words that make you feel good. It is tangible proof, actual action. Telling someone you love them is not nearly as convincing as showing them. We aren't called to say 'I love you.' We are called to show it. God didn't just simply tell us He loved us. He showed us by sending His son to die in our place. We've been given the perfect example of love.
1 john 3:18 "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and truth."
Let yourself love. It's not going to be easy. You are going to get hurt. But it's worth it. We are called by love to love others. So don't just say it, do something about it.
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