If I regard the expression of my love as a human undertaking, I will perceive it in human terms and will not expect any significant discoveries or revelations. It will be enough for me to learn what psychology textbooks say about it and compare that information with my own situation.
But the love we study in our school has a Divine nature. It contains a prophetic prediction that God’s people must possess it. This love is embodied in the Lord’s commandment given before Christ’s death. Since it is so important in these last days, God must have a plan to awaken special interest among those who long for revival and transformation. Today, every prediction of God concerning the last days arouses genuine interest throughout the world, especially if it involves destruction or disease. The message of love will also attract attention. But its purpose is not merely to predict that love must exist. Its purpose is to bring a deep change to the thinking of God’s people, who have tasted the influence of the world and its intoxicating wine and are seeking ways to free the mind from the power of sin and reveal the true beauty of God’s character through the unconditional love of God’s children for one another. This love will lead us into mutual, reciprocal, unconditional friendship. Such a phenomenon will not be a chance coincidence but the conscious, purposeful action of the souls and wills of those who receive this message and put it into practice in their lives.
In the message to Laodicea, Jesus states very clearly what I need to buy. In the parable of the ten virgins, He reveals the desperation and hopeless condition of those who came too late to the ones selling these Heavenly goods.
Every field of knowledge is good and beneficial. But when separated from love, it is useful only for a short time and only here, in this perishing world.
The study of love begins now with learning its laws and will never end throughout Eternity. We have begun something extremely important, valuable, enduring, solidly founded, unshakable, beautiful, and magnificent. We cannot even imagine where this love will lead us or how remarkable the discoveries God has prepared within this learning process will be. If we could catch even a single glimpse of where this knowledge and study will lead, I believe our attitude toward this message would change radically.
Through love and the study of this field of knowledge, my heart comes into contact with God Himself, the Creator of the universe. He condescends so far that He allows Himself to be known directly, allows us to touch His Soul, and permits us to look within. The blood of Christ made such a path possible.
I do not know how believers lived before the Laodicean period. Apparently, they possessed a knowledge of love in the measure they needed. But in our time, it is vitally important because the Lord Himself offers it. And if He offers something, He also blesses it.
I know with certainty that each of you has felt or realized that through the lessons of our school, something unusual begins happening in the heart, something changes in the mind, and something new is revealed. If I regard this undertaking as something merely human—as nothing more than the interesting experiences of a strange brother—I should look more deeply. The very name agape tells us that this love is a plant of Heavenly origin. Describing and understanding something Heavenly requires inspiration from above, and that inspiration is given.
I simply cannot possess agape without God. They form one complete and indivisible reality. The character of Christ is contained within this gift from Heaven. The issue is not the name but the nature of love. When I decide to possess agape love and tell God of my decision, I am essentially asking Him to love with this love within me, revealing His Divine nature through my human nature. The friendliness produced by this love also bears God’s seal and has a nature of Heavenly origin because it is born of Eternal love.
When I decide to love, I give God authority to work within me through this love, even though I may regard it as something of my own, something human. But I have an exceedingly powerful enemy whom I cannot see, and what is human within me will not be sufficient to resist him. He is stronger than I am in every respect, both spiritually and physically. But God intervenes on my behalf and fights within me, and the enemy is powerless to resist Him.
I live in a country where animals and insects are protected by the government. If I suddenly decide to use my strength openly to destroy these creatures, the entire legal and executive system of the country will intervene on their behalf. It possesses sufficient means to oppose my plans. Knowing this, I do not enter into conflict but try to live in such a way that no complaint can be made against me. For example, if I decide to demolish an old house in which a bat lives and the environmental protection authorities learn about it, they will forbid me to proceed while the bat remains there. Specially trained people will visit and check whether I am harming the animal. That little bat has more rights to my house than I do, though it does not even know it. But someone has enacted laws for its protection, placed it on a protected-species list, and watches to ensure that it is safe in this country. A single nestling can stop any construction project if human activity threatens its life, because the entire legislative system will rise to protect it.
In the same way, the enemy of souls knows that I am under God’s special protection and cannot act openly against me. Therefore, he secretly tries to lure me into the territory under his authority, destroy my soul there, and through me affect other people as well.
Love protects me from every direction. When I decide to be a friend to another person and treat him this way throughout my life, God’s invisible blessing rests upon this choice. A strong bond is established between us, joining our hearts into one. Even if we communicate very little, this bond preserves us in love for one another. In this way, we always love each other mutually and are ready to live with this continually. It is a blessing when such a mutual relationship is established within the family. It is a small portion of Heaven in my home. Unfortunately, not every family reaches this point. Some instead become testing grounds for new forms of destruction and defense.
Friendship is a product manufactured in Heaven. I cannot understand or explain everything involved in this decision, but I see how God preserves me from evil through it. At times, a friend has betrayed me or behaved very badly toward me. I wanted simply to break off everything and forget him, but the Lord gently reminded me of my decision to be his friend, as though saying, “What will you gain through such an approach? This is how the world acts.” I decide to preserve this attitude and remain a friend, even though it can be very painful. The essence of victory is to pass through the pain while preserving love and friendship forever. The form of the relationship may change, but the relationship itself does not end. If a friend forbids me to enter his home, I will not violate that prohibition, but I will continue loving him within the boundaries that remain.
Being a friend is a Heavenly field of knowledge worth mastering. And God will teach us this art.
Bible Verses for Reflection
2 Corinthians 6:16; Matthew 28:18–20; John 17:10–11, 21, 26; 15:13.