When you love, you experience joy, blessing, and a sense of victory. You want to share the knowledge and experience that come with this gift from God. Yet in response, you often hear, "Those are only words—show me your deeds!"
Not every deed of love is visible to those around us. My decision to love someone involves an inner struggle, a search for new paths to that person’s heart, control over my own thoughts and feelings, and both spiritual and material sacrifice. All of these are deeds! Yet the presence of deeds does not remove the need to speak about love. We rarely speak about love because we fear that others will suspect us of hypocrisy. But our fear is completely unfounded!
Love is not hypocrisy or a theatrical performance; it is a genuine life with God. We have become so unaccustomed to seeing love expressed in people that at times it seems to us that love does not exist at all. Even when we meet a loving person, we do not believe him. I used to respond in exactly this way. Now, however, all my attention is focused on understanding what measure of the gift of love each person possesses and, whenever possible, helping that person receive genuine love, which comes from God. How can this be done? I have no universal formula. But when I make it my goal and pray for my neighbor, God intervenes and helps.
If you receive God’s gift of love, you will become like Jesus, and through you He will be able to accomplish great things and lead many people to the truth. Love is contagious: it breaks down the sinful resistance to righteousness and makes a person open and friendly.
Love changes the mind
People who have received the gift of love all say the same thing: "I used to think that I loved, but now I understand that I was mistaken!" I know this feeling, and I understand their joy. What a joy it is to watch them and see them becoming like the One in Whom they believe!
God’s love changes your mind without depriving you of your individuality. It gently teaches you to make right decisions while preserving your freedom of choice. Once you have chosen the person you will love, love powerfully and swiftly fills your heart, driving out everything foreign and impure.
When I realized that I did not have pure love within me, I began asking for this gift, and God gave it to me. I also understood that the love I had received would be tested best within my family. That was when the most interesting part began.
In 2009, my wife and I were on the verge of divorce. This was one of the reasons that moved me to turn to God. Yet I wondered how I could love my wife, who felt like a spiritual stranger to me. Two years later, my wife and daughter left the church, but I continued to love them. The gift of love transforms the atmosphere in a family beyond recognition, so that you cannot simply walk away. Love answers the question, "What should I do?" and it always wins. It complains to no one about its hardships except Jesus, because loving is easier than hating.
My friends who have received the gift of love say with one voice that love for one’s neighbor begins within one’s own family. They all rejoice in the great and small victories they continually gain.
Love is victory. It does not know how to lose. You are not the one fighting this war; the One Who paid an exceedingly high price for you is fighting it.
The languages of love
We have all been given the gift of communication, through which we can express our thoughts aloud and share our blessings and love with others. But if I speak an unfamiliar language, all my efforts to explain something to someone will be in vain.
Brothers and sisters from Romania sometimes visit our church. They converse warmly with one another. They respond in kind to all my smiles, greetings, and handshakes, but that is where everything ends. All my attempts to befriend them are in vain because, without knowing Romanian, I cannot communicate freely with them. If they learn German, I will be able to carry on a conversation with them, but we still will not have close and loving fellowship. I can say the same about Germans. No matter how much they may like me, they cannot be friends with me as long as they do not understand me.
Love cannot act in its full strength where its language is not understood. Each of us has a personal language of love and a particular way of perceiving this gift. When I speak to a person in a language familiar to him, he understands me perfectly.
In his book The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman identifies the following languages:
1. Words;
2. Touch;
3. Time;
4. Acts of service;
5. Gifts.
Perhaps words are not your language of love, and the thoughts in this book, clothed in words, sound to you like meaningless noise. Yet love cannot do without words. The Bible consists of the words of God. Jesus is the Word. Our words have an enormous influence upon a person’s soul and mind. Prayer also consists of words, but those words set the power of God in motion. Do not be afraid to speak about your love. We were created in the image of God, and our words possess the ability to create and build up.
The prophet Isaiah says that God "confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers" (Isaiah 44:26, KJV).
Love is heavenly glue
Love is heavenly glue that binds our hearts together so that nothing in the world can tear them apart. The best thing we can do with this glue is cover ourselves with it from head to toe, so that others will stick to us forever. This is exactly what Paul meant when he wrote, "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness" (Colossians 3:14, KJV). The union of the Divine and the human into one whole is the bond of perfectness.
Power steering enables a person to turn even the heaviest steering wheel. If I ask God for the gift of love and make the decision to love, He applies His supernatural power and accomplishes the impossible. Therefore, I invite you to buy heavenly glue and begin using it.
Love passes from person to person
First Corinthians 15:33 says, "Evil communications corrupt good manners." It follows that good companionship strengthens good character. Become part of a good community so that you can show love to its members. If no such community is nearby, become someone’s friend. Love needs fellowship in order to express itself.
In many of you, love has already taken root and begun to grow. Soon you will understand that it needs an outlet. It presses outward and cannot remain silent or alone. This fire cannot be hidden.
Jesus desires to reveal Himself through me. People first see a person’s figure and eyes, hear his speech, perceive his spirit, interests, and goals, and personally experience his friendliness and love. This requires close personal contact. Merely observing someone does not allow us to understand him fully. If I feel affection for a fellow believer, this means that God desires us to become friends and to recognize His image in one another. May the Lord reveal to us the meaning of the commandment, "That ye love one another" (John 15:12, KJV).
I need you
Relationships bind people to one another and imply certain actions. Through his actions, a selfish person says and shows, "I do not need you! I need your money, your strength, your time—everything you possess—but I do not need you yourself!" This message can be clearly heard and seen.
Love, by contrast, lets a person know that he is dear to you and that you need him, that you see in him a friend created to bring joy to your heart throughout eternity. For a person to understand this, you must first recognize that a living soul stands before you; there must also be contact, communication, and acceptance. When I understand this truth and ask God to change my heart, my actions will say, "I need you!"
When I ask something of another person, he not only hears my request but also sees my attitude toward him. If I display the right attitude and the right spirit, he will willingly fulfill my request. Even one-sided love accomplishes much in a relationship. Therefore, we must learn to hear what we say, how we say it, and why we say it.
There are traditional churches in this world. How does a person feel when entering one of their houses of worship? He understands that he has entered a special place. The interior is striking in its luxury and splendor. Majestic singing fills the sanctuary, and the service appears dignified and beautiful.
Traditions hold people firmly in their power, helping them perform certain actions automatically. Yet there is also a serious shortcoming: a person realizes that, within this entire system of religious worship, no one needs him personally. This sense of insignificance means that, after feeling awe before the sanctuary, its furnishings, singing, and service, people leave the church and continue living as they did before.
The gospel carries a completely different message: "I need you!" Jesus Christ says to people, "I came to save you! I need you so deeply that I want to see you throughout eternity. And even now, I want to give you the salvation and eternal life that you need so greatly!"
Together with God’s love comes the understanding that people who have accepted His message and entered into covenant with Him become my spiritual brothers and sisters and my close friends. We are all children of one heavenly Father, Who created us, and children of one earthly father, Adam, who gave us life. We are a family.
When I communicate with people, their ears hear words about God’s love, but their hearts hear whether I need them or not. That is why I try to show them that I need them as brothers and sisters, as fellow heirs of a better life and better relationships. Unfortunately, many obstacles prevent this message from being conveyed properly. We make excuses: "I have no time," "We will discuss it later," or "I am busy!" Today, without saying a word, we can make people understand that we do not need them; we need only bury ourselves in our phones. Yet people are waiting for us. They long to be needed and loved; they cry out for it, and genuine love will surely hear that cry and answer it. Love will not stop until it reaches a friend’s heart and settles there forever!
Love changes the world
Living in this world and working in secular businesses, we inevitably encounter a consumer-like attitude toward us. If you do not make a profit for your employer, he terminates your contract. If you are a skilled worker, people will try to squeeze everything they can from you until you burn out at work or finally retire. This is the world in which we live. The Lord knows this and does not condemn us for working in the interests of this world. He blesses each of us wherever we work, giving us wisdom, strength, patience, and knowledge.
My former boss valued me highly as a professional, but he had no interest in me as a person or as someone who knew God and the Bible. In such a system, you feel that no one needs you. This is a serious spiritual deficiency of this world. Most people feel that the world treats them merely as something to be used, and many fall into despair, depression, and dependence on stimulants.
God did not intend for this world to proclaim the good news. He intended His church to proclaim it, while the world feeds people the husks meant for swine—the food that the prodigal son in Christ’s parable longed so eagerly to eat.
Sometimes people leave the church and go into the world. But the world will give them nothing except death. People lose their health and die, leaving behind everything they earned and accumulated. As wise Solomon wrote, all is vanity. We do not know who will receive the results of our labor. But God gives us something better: hope. In this world He prepares us for a better life, where there will be no exploitation, violence, deception, or sin. He also gives us love, which fills our lives with meaning here and now. This love will also be needed throughout eternity.
The one who loves builds the Kingdom of Heaven in his life, among those around him, and in this world. Love draws souls and gives hope for something better and lasting. To love is to live the life of Heaven already here and to fulfill God’s purpose in this world.
Love and loneliness
The stronger and deeper your love becomes, the less your family, loved ones, and friends understand you. They see your changed attitude toward them and toward life but cannot evaluate it correctly. Very few accept you, while some begin to hate you openly and blame you for all their failures. You realize that you are alone on this path and that the farther you go, the fewer companions you have. There is no point in turning back, while the road ahead only grows narrower. Yet this is the path of happiness, and upon it I notice the bloody footprints of the One Who, while living as a Man, experienced all of this and now teaches me. As I look to Him, I understand that there is nothing new in my experience. He was misunderstood in the same way, and even now not everyone understands Him.
Yet loneliness contains a blessing: you begin to communicate more with Jesus, to leave behind everything unnecessary, and to think more about the happiness of others. Love sees everything—or at least much—yet it does not condemn. Instead, it accepts your neighbor as he is and seeks a closer relationship. When your neighbor understands that you are a friend and that your love for him is unconditional, he will begin to open his heart. The result will be a unity that brings joy.
God is very wise, and His love for us is constant and deep. He seeks those who will receive this love and give it to others. As long as you love, you are victorious. But instead of pride, humility fills you as you realize that this is God’s gift, which must be carefully preserved. To love throughout one’s entire life is endless happiness! Through the love of Jesus, many people have become family to me, and I rejoice that these close relationships will continue throughout eternity.
Jesus loves you! With Him, you will never be lonely!
Members of one body
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many" (1 Corinthians 12:13–14, KJV).
Who are we in relation to one another? Can I tell a sister that I do not need her because she is not an eye? Or can I say that you do not need me because I am not a foot in the body of Christ? We are all members of one body. We have different functions and responsibilities, different gifts and abilities, and different perspectives on various ministries. We are all different, yet within the body of Christ we all need one another, and together we form one living organism.
When someone has not attended church for a long time, we are concerned about that person. When someone leaves Christ, we feel a special pain. We understand that this person has gone where there is no happiness, peace, or joy in the Lord—a joy that perhaps he never experienced. We do not know why he left, but his departure causes us deep pain because we are all children of one Father, brothers and sisters. As it is written, "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26, KJV). Conversely, when someone in the church has reason for joy, we all rejoice and say, "Praise God."
The human body is designed so that nothing within it is unnecessary. Likewise, none of us can be unnecessary in the body of Christ. Even the person among us who does nothing at all and only creates problems is needed, because through that person the Lord trains us and teaches us to love and be patient. That person, too, is a member of God’s family.
Every one of us has received a gift from the Lord, a special talent. Unfortunately, at times we do not know what these talents are. Or we know them but do not use them because we find no opportunity. Do not be afraid if your talents are not needed at present. The Lord knows when to use them for His glory and for your growth.
God’s love within me cannot live in isolation; it needs people toward whom it can be directed. Love does not wait until someone needs it but pours itself out upon the righteous and the unrighteous alike. To be completely happy, a person needs someone whom he can make happy.
Love needs everyone
God gives us the Holy Spirit, Who leads us into this world, which is full of temptations and enticements. At the same time, God promises to protect us, to give us the words to speak, and to provide the strength we need so that we can bring His message to people. Above all, our proclamation of the gospel must communicate this message: "I need you!"
Do not be afraid if you encounter rejection from members of your family, relatives, or brothers and sisters in the church. Do not be alarmed! We may not be able to change their attitude, but we can conduct ourselves in such a way that sooner or later they will understand that they need us. We can pray for a person, and in response to our prayer God will change that person’s circumstances and way of thinking.
In one way or another, we all depend upon one another. God designed this interdependence because only within a family can we develop fully. The church is God’s family. Even a troubled church is better than peaceful loneliness. Different people come into the church, and through them we are trained and shaped. If we abide with Christ, we see that the problem lies not in the people who come to church, but in our relationships with them and with Christ. Above all, God wants me to have a personal relationship with Him. My relationship with God will inevitably become a blessing to my church as well.
Our greatest joy is our love for God and for one another. Every parent knows that when children love one another, there is less reason to fear for their safety or their future. This is the spirit that will help them stand firm through every trial.
God desires such a close relationship with us that Isaiah 54:5 says, "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called" (KJV). He wants to be our Husband—that is, the One Who is closest to us in spirit. It brings Him joy when we respond to Him with our love. He has done everything for us; He loves us and accepts us. He needs us. Imagine how sorrowful it is for Him to hear the words, "But I do not need You!" What unbearable pain is caused to God by those for whom He died. I once spoke these words to God as well. I did not believe in Him and did not know what He had prepared for me. It is frightening to imagine what would have become of me if I had not responded to God’s call. Now I delight in fellowship with Him, and I know that the delight is mutual. God is immeasurably glad and happy that I have accepted His love. He desires to see the whole world saved.
There are three kinds of relationships that form a heavenly triangle:
1. God and I. This relationship resembles a two-way street. God gives Himself to us, and we give ourselves to Him. He gives us all the riches of the universe and His grace; we give Him our sins.
2. My neighbor and I. We are equals and learn from one another.
3. My neighbor and God. My neighbor’s relationship with God also has an influence.
I work with unbelievers and try to love them as much as I am able. They see that I am not like everyone else, that I am not of this world. To some extent, they like this. Yet I also understand that our relationships are incomplete because they do not know the One Whom I know and have no relationship with the Savior. Therefore, our relationships cannot be called close friendships, because we have different spirits. In God’s family—the church—these relationships are ideal. Although we are all different, we are all children of one Father. In one way or another, we need one another. This is part of God’s plan of salvation. As we shape one another, we become witnesses of God’s grace before the entire universe and this world. God’s hand places His seal upon our character, and the Spirit of God bears much fruit.
Love sees a friend in everyone
I often think about my friends, rejoice that they are in my life, and reflect upon our relationships. I have come to understand that they have become an inseparable part of my life. Most interestingly, many of them do not consider me their friend, yet I see them as mine. I am inspired by the thought that our friendship will continue throughout eternity.
I will tell you a secret: I love my friends. Unfortunately, not all of them believe it, but I understand that without love our friendship would not be genuine.
The love Christ gives is as tender as a flower and brings beauty to life, yet it is also as solid as a rock and can withstand every trial. A person who has received love from the Lord begins to look for opportunities to show it to others. At some point, he realizes that he must speak about it, because not everyone can recognize the true motive behind a particular deed. When he gathers courage and begins openly to declare this principle in his relationships with others, he becomes extremely vulnerable. Many then begin trying to "save" him. But to help someone who loves, you must first plead with God for love, examine it carefully, experience its action and influence in your own life, and show it where doing so seems impossible. Only then can you discern how sincere the person you intend to save truly is and help him be freed from what is merely human and receive what is Divine.
How grateful I am to the Lord for this wonderful gift offered to every one of us! What a blessing it is to love those who seem to be needed by you alone and by no one else! What joy it is to discover a friend in a stranger and love that person without his having earned it, sometimes even against his will, and then watch his heart change. This is the best thing that can happen to us!
Love for friends
Jesus calls us to love one another. He makes this appeal before His death, as though summing up His teaching. He even ends His prayer with these words: "And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them" (John 17:26, KJV).
He does not merely advise us to love one another. He longs for it with all His heart and pleads with the Father to give us this gift. Before His death, He thinks of me. He prays for me to receive this treasure.
Earlier, Christ says, "This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12–13, KJV). Christ’s death was the highest expression of love. Yet you do not necessarily have to die for your friends to understand that you love them with the highest love.
My soul is my life, and my life is the time God has allotted to me in which to prepare for eternity. Money, in essence, is also time—the time spent earning it. Therefore, when I give my friends my time and money, think about them and pray for them, communicate with them, and help them, I am showing the highest love. Sometimes I set aside all my affairs simply to be with my friends, look into their eyes, hear their voices, and quietly rejoice that they are in my life. Jesus teaches me to love them and to spend my life on them. I agree with Him. If Jesus teaches us something, it always leads to goodness and happiness. Therefore, friends, I urge you as well to accept His counsel.
Love one another! What could be better?
The song of those redeemed by love
Revelation chapter 14 says, "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth" (verse 3, KJV).
The redeemed sing a song that no one else can sing. What does this mean?
A person who has received love from God and shares it with others sings a heavenly song of love that only one who loves can sing. The angels know this song, but they do not have the experience of struggling against and overcoming evil that belongs to a person filled with the Holy Spirit. Only someone who has lived through this experience can tell of it.
I was present at the birth of my daughter and witnessed my wife’s anguish. I can tell you what I observed, but I did not give birth and do not know what my wife experienced. If she and I were to sing about childbirth, whose song would be more authentic?
Friends, ask God for love, and do not rest until you receive it. When it is given, you will know it without any proof. Then you will be able to sing the song of love as no one else can. May the Lord help us!
Love loves to give
At times, our church takes special offerings for various mission projects, and I am asked to hand envelopes to those who wish to contribute and raise their hands. As I walk through the church, I look at their faces. I have noticed that those who raise their hands shine with joy. The others look down at the floor or turn their eyes away so they will not have to look at me. Most of them have very sad faces.
At one point, God showed me that what matters is not the amount of the donation, but taking part and the love you put into your gift. Since then, I have tried to support every project and respond to every appeal. The most meaningful time to give is when you yourself are in need. Even then, giving is easy when you understand that you are merely a steward of the possessions, not their owner. The Lord always finds ways to multiply them. Yet even when I am unable to give to charity, the Lord gives me love for all the people He sends into my life.
Unrequited love
As we have already said, true love longs to give itself. Sometimes, however, people are not ready to receive it, and this brings bitter tears and suffering to a loving heart.
Good angels continually care for us, shielding us from danger and illness, dispelling the darkness, rejoicing in our victories, and grieving when they see us fall. They know all our attachments and habits very well. In spite of all this, they love us deeply.
Imagine this scene: the Second Coming. The righteous are resurrected, receive new bodies, and ascend to Heaven to Jesus. He so completely holds everyone’s attention that we see no one but Him. The heavenly city. The sea of glass. The millennial kingdom. While we are engaged in spiritual growth, the angels stand nearby, ready to come to our aid at any moment. There are millions of them, and each possesses perfect love, wisdom, and knowledge that he is ready to share. Perhaps in their hearts the angels dream of becoming my close friends, giving themselves to me, and teaching me all they know. Yet they respect my choice and modestly stand aside, waiting for years or centuries until I notice them. At the same time, they rejoice that we are in the company of Jesus. Their hearts overflow with love and long to give.
A saved person lives by the same laws of Heaven as the heavenly beings. He receives God’s love and wants to share it with someone. Love keeps growing, while those willing to receive it are not so numerous. The desire to help, serve, and give encounters the closed door of the human will. After knocking on that door once again, you carry your sorrow to Jesus. He shows you His pierced hands and comforts you with the assurance that He feels the same way. Yet this is a special sorrow—one that does not destroy your heart but draws you closer to God, Who understands you and loves you deeply. The greater the love and understanding, the greater the sorrow.
Love without expecting anything in return
Love is a special gift, and God wants us to understand what this gift is and how it works. When we read about love, we expect brothers and sisters to appear who will accept and love us, and we will love them in return. But God says, "I want you to love first and, like a tree, to grow and bear fruit!"
God sent His Son into the world to show us how to love and where love may lead. Love usually brings many friends into your life, but you may also be killed because you love. Paradoxically, God’s love revealed through us always encounters opposition. Most surprisingly, this opposition comes from those who seemingly should be the first to recognize your love. In the family, these may be a husband, wife, or children; in the church, brothers and sisters.
People commonly believe that happiness means being understood and loved. Experience shows, however, that even when you are genuinely loved, you are not necessarily happy. Is humanity happy because God loves it? Are people happy that God cares for them, renews His mercy toward them every morning, does not punish them for their sins, and is patient with them? People often do not even understand this. If I told a random passerby that God loves him, how would he respond? Most likely, he would look at me with suspicion. I can even tell many people in the church that God loves them, yet their hearts will not be filled with happiness.
But God wants us to love without expecting anything in return. When we love, we are happy. Is God happy because He loves us? He is!
There are people whom I truly love and for whom I pray, yet they hate me. This no longer surprises me. When you begin to love someone who has not been sanctified by the Spirit of God and does not understand the nature of love, that person may easily speak harshly to you. Do not be afraid! Sooner or later, God will open that person’s eyes and help him receive your love. This is why God calls us to love our enemies. In 1 Corinthians 13:5, we read that love "seeketh not her own"; it does not demand love in return (KJV).
At the same time, this law applies: "What you sow, you will also reap." If I sow many seeds in my garden, many will sprout. But if I sow one seed, only one will sprout. A sunflower will never grow from a pumpkin seed. When we sow love, sooner or later it will return to us as a harvest. But do not expect this to happen immediately.
The world does not always accept God’s love, but God is happy that He loves this world and has done everything for its salvation. He is happy whenever someone responds to this love. The same is true of our love for people—do not expect a quick response! When it does come in the form of love returned, thank God!
Love sprouts in its season
At first, love is like a tiny, defenseless seed. When it falls into good soil, it sprouts, takes root, and grows strong. In time, leaves appear, then flowers, and afterward small green fruit. Soon the harvest ripens, bringing joy to everyone. But woe to those who hurry to pick the fruit. When they fail to find it, they become disappointed and believe they have been deceived. Do not hurry! Everything has its appointed time. If your new friend is guarded, it does not mean he cannot hear you. He is simply unaccustomed to being loved. He watches you closely to see how sincere and consistent you are. Then he opens his heart and lets you into his world. Be careful. Another person’s heart is very fragile within, and it will receive nothing from you except unconditional love. Jesus will give you wisdom and teach you how to act rightly.
Jesus is ready to teach us. It pleases Him to give us His love and teach us to love in this way. The union of His efforts and mine is the key to success. Every person has enough room in the soul for the priceless gift of love.
What love does
What does love do in a person’s life? What does it do in my life? Why is it needed?
1. Love reveals God’s character to me in all its beauty. Through the example of my own life, I see how tenderly and lovingly God treats all humanity, and especially those who have entered into covenant with Him. I fall in love with my Creator and begin to love Him with a pure heart. Love cleanses me from defilement, clears my spiritual vision, and enables me to see all the beauty of God’s character and to know the Eternal One.
2. Love restores the image of God in me and makes me like Him in character and in my attitude toward people and creation. Love becomes the driving motive that enters every area of life and directs my thoughts and feelings. It gives me the mind of Christ and binds me to Him with strong bonds of love and friendship that no one can ever break.
3. Love vindicates God’s character in my eyes and before the whole world and the entire universe. I am ready to testify before everyone that His law is holy and serves humanity’s good; that God’s requirements are wise, kind, and just; and that keeping God’s will is better than anything the sinful world offers. My life of love is the best testimony that God is right.
4. Love removes the presence of sin from my life. It sweeps away all the rubbish and washes every stain from my character, making me fit for eternal life among holy beings. It makes my speech and thoughts pure and clear. It fills me with light, meaning, and happiness. A life without sin becomes the norm and brings joy and delight. Love shows you what you have not yet attained but can attain in this life. It gives hope for a better future. Where love lives, there is no room for sin.
5. Love teaches me the great and unsearchable things I do not know. It reveals God’s plans for me and for this world and prepares me to meet the Great Teacher, Who is coming soon.
I choose love. Here I stand; I can do no other. May the Lord help me!
Immersed in love
Imagine two dirty plastic jam jars. They are dirty inside and out. One has a lid, while the other is open. Now these two jars are thrown into the ocean. At first, both float on the surface. They are in the water, but the water is not in them. As they remain in the ocean, both jars become clean on the outside, yet in the sunlight it is easy to see that they are dirty inside. With the first rain or storm, the open jar fills with water. It becomes so clean that it is difficult to distinguish from the water around it. Because it is light, it does not sink to the bottom but continues to float just beneath the surface. The sealed jar remains on the ocean’s surface, carried by the winds and dashed against the rocks. The ocean waits for a change in its life, longing to fill it and cleanse it with its water, but cannot do so because the lid is closed.
Our Lord stands at the closed lid of our heart and knocks. He waits for His voice to be heard and for the soul to open. He has clothed Himself in love and longs to work within us with all His power. By believing in Him, I immerse myself in His love, delight in it, and bear abundant fruit. I can know that He is in me when I see Him imparting the qualities of His character to me and teaching me to love my neighbor.
An obvious difference
During my twenty-seven years of driving, I have owned several cars. Until recently, I drove a small car and was content that it simply ran. But the time came to replace it, and I decided to buy a reliable car that was not too expensive, would not break down often, and would protect me in an accident. I prayed, consulted many mechanics and experts, and finally found the right one. When I bought this car and began driving it, I immediately appreciated its advantages: comfort, convenience, power, attractive design, fuel efficiency, and safety. Now I enjoy driving and do not want to return to the old model. I think other drivers understand me. Still, if I ever had to go back, it would not be a serious problem.
This resembles the difference between the love I once had within me and the love Jesus gave me in answer to my prayers. I used to live like everyone else, love to the best of my ability, struggle unsuccessfully through trials, and believe I had reached the limit of my spiritual growth. When I understood my helplessness and began asking God for true love, I received something better. Now I delight in the safety, beauty, and power of the gift I received from God. What I fear most is returning to my former way of life. Now even the most difficult and painful trials bring me joy because Jesus goes before me. He supports me and lifts me up in difficult moments.
Love preserves peace
Once I missed a flight, yet I decided to remain happy. Since then, the conscious decision to be happy and not lose heart has helped me in every situation.
On another occasion, I arrived at the airport on time, only to learn at check-in that my plane had departed eleven hours earlier than the time printed on my ticket. The ticket issued to me contained a typographical error that I had not noticed. Yet I remained joyful, even though I did not know what to do next. I wanted to buy a new ticket, but they refused to sell me one because too little time remained before departure. I arranged with the check-in agent for them to wait for me, and a new ticket was issued. Then they refused to accept my luggage because only one bag was permitted and I had two. Even then, my heart remained at peace, and that problem was resolved as well. While traveling, I reflected on the situation. My journey had a purpose—to meet friends, receive God’s blessings, and perhaps be a blessing to someone. My friends were praying for me, and every problem was successfully resolved.
How grateful I am to the Lord that He opens doors and shows a way out of every situation!
Love is pure
Love for people, friends, and neighbors has a powerful influence upon their minds. Not everyone accepts it immediately, but that does not stop love. Love studies another person’s soul and looks for places in the heart where it can settle, take root, and bear much fruit. A person may need days, months, years, or perhaps an entire lifetime to receive it. Some hearts will never accept love and will actively resist it, spreading gossip and slander. Yet love’s attitude toward these wandering souls will remain unchanged, and hope that they will receive it will inspire special prayers and "groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26, KJV).
There will certainly also be people who receive love, delight in it, and wait for new expressions of it. In the lives of many friends, you may be the first and only person who loves them, and these souls will receive everything love gives with special joy. When your friends become convinced of the sincerity of your motives, they will respond with affection of their own. But love’s purpose is not to evoke love in return from your friends; it is to reveal God’s character to people. God holds every one of His representatives in this world to a very high standard. He is either glorified in His children or dishonored through them.
True love is poured out upon men and women, the sick and the healthy, the young and the old, the poor and the rich. Yet when directed toward someone of the opposite sex, it maintains appropriate distance in the relationship and gives no occasion to break the commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." The enemy of souls cannot overcome your decision to love and be a friend, but he may try to distort your love by causing people of the opposite sex to fall in love with you and tormenting their hearts with thoughts of you. This may lead them to break the law in their thoughts and cause them genuine anguish. Special wisdom is needed to help such people let go of these feelings and thoughts and guide the relationship in the right direction. Boundaries in personal communication and an honest conversation can be very helpful in explaining that your attitude has a purpose other than feeding someone’s sentimentality and stirring up emotions. At times, all communication may need to stop temporarily, but this must be done with the utmost tact. Your friend may also interpret your love as sinful and establish boundaries to avoid giving you an occasion for temptation. Yet your understanding of purity in relationships must never become a barrier that prevents God from influencing another person’s heart.
Among Jesus’ disciples were many men who followed Him everywhere, but there were also women who ministered to Him, washed His feet, brought children to Him, and sat at His feet. Christ received them all. He taught that whoever comes to Him, He "will in no wise cast out" (see John 6:37, KJV).
God gives us the gift of love for our neighbor. A neighbor is not only someone who lives and works nearby, but also someone who is close to you in spirit and interests. At times, a person lives on the other side of the earth yet understands and accepts you as perhaps no one else does. I have friends whom I have never met in person, yet we communicate, share common interests and plans, confide the secrets of our lives, and trust one another. This friendship has continued for years without any prospect of meeting in person, but God’s Spirit has made us friends, and we love one another.
Fortunately, modern means of communication allow fuller interaction, but virtual communication can never replace personal contact. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to attend spiritual camp meetings in order to make new friends.
Love is pure in thought and feeling. It gives no occasion for lawlessness to those who seek one. It breaks down the barriers that keep people in loneliness, has pure intentions, and lives in pure hearts. Such people are called blessed, for they shall see God. They will see Him not only in Heaven but also in their own hearts, and they will understand the great responsibility toward their neighbors and the world that has been entrusted to them.
The light of love
When the Lord gives a person the gift of His love, that person becomes like a lighted candle that gives light to everyone in the house. To some, this small light becomes a source of blessing and inspiration; to others, it becomes an irritation. The brighter the light, the stronger the opposition from the powers of darkness.
Because of my profession, I have been responsible for the life and health of those under my supervision for many years. Sometimes, to reduce the risk of worker injury, I must intervene and impose restrictions until the hazards have been removed. Life teaches many lessons, especially when accidents happen because of human foolishness or greed. As a result, the mind becomes trained to anticipate danger and reacts immediately when it sees a violation. If I have authority in a particular situation, I do everything possible to protect people’s lives and health.
Spiritual matters work the same way. When you know the truth and understand how the enemy operates, you sometimes must respond quickly and make corrections. But the spiritual realm is very delicate because we are dealing with a person’s will, and danger may be well concealed. Your attempts to avert disaster may lead to conflict and strife.
To some people whose lives I saved, I became a stubborn, angry supervisor who did not know how to work with people—but their children still have a father who is alive and well.
One day, the first snow fell. My coworkers saw a little girl climb through an attic window onto the roof of the house across the street, trying to gather as much snow as possible. One worker opened the window and shouted very loudly, "No! Go back!" Terrified, the girl returned to the room and firmly closed the window. She probably watched our building fearfully for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, the workers watched all day to make sure she did not climb onto the roof again. What motivated my coworkers? Anger? Malice? Arrogance? Clearly, love moved them, but to the little girl they were mean men.
Do not expect everyone to interpret your love for people correctly. You may dream of this, but real life is different. Very often, a loving person may be accused of being the embodiment of evil. Love does not justify its actions and often absorbs the blow itself. It acts quickly and gently. Saving a human life is always and everywhere a priority. Love saves a person’s soul from eternal death and from the power of sin and darkness, and gives peace to the heart.
Not everyone will understand you or appreciate your love, but God forgets nothing. He places the seal of His approval upon your love. Those who love will certainly receive their reward from God.
The flow of love
When love leaves the land of silence and makes itself known, those around it often do not know what to do with this declaration or how to respond. Some simply watch it, some test its sincerity and strength, and some cover it with mud. Some turn away, while others rejoice and dream of receiving it. Still others rush into its embrace and become deeply attached to it.
At first, love’s timid movements resemble a small stream seeking a path to the heart through the barriers of human character. But this stream begins in the ocean, which gives it added momentum as it moves toward human souls. As much as love may long for a smooth path, it inevitably passes through difficult places where it is rejected or accused of hypocrisy. Yet it moves calmly onward, drawing fresh strength and resources for victory from the ocean.
In reality, there are many streams of love. They flow in the same direction, and as they cross the desert beneath the scorching rays of criticism and ridicule, they also nourish one another.
On the way to its goal, love continually encounters swamps of worldly enticements and temptations that seek to swallow all its resources. Love resists them and flows onward, gaining priceless experience that teaches it to foresee obstacles and ask for help in advance so that it may overcome. And it does overcome!
The current of love grows stronger, and one beautiful day the stream becomes a full-flowing river that fears no obstacle. Love knows its Source. It does not take pride in its victories but rejoices in them and fills every low place, carrying friendship and happiness with it.
Love opens the windows of the soul
A stone flies toward a window, but when it reaches its target, it breaks nothing. Why? Because the window was open.
Love throws open the windows of the soul, leaving it exposed. It does not fear stones or being shattered. People who do not love keep the windows of their souls closed, and every stone thrown at them creates many problems. But love does not defend itself; it calls gently, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink" (John 7:37, KJV). Jesus was the most open of all people, and as we behold Him, we too become open.
Love cleanses
Imagine meeting a homeless man and beginning to care for him—bringing him food, talking with him, and encouraging him. You put all your love and tenderness into your interaction with him, and he begins to open up to you. He is glad to know you, looks forward to seeing you, and listens to you with pleasure.
There is a problem, however: he has not bathed, shaved, or had a haircut for many years. Moreover, he wears and sleeps in the same clothes, which he never washes. As a result, he has an unpleasant odor.
But your new friend sees your love and begins to trust you. He is ready to sit at your feet and learn. At some point in your friendship, he asks what he can do to make you happy. He says he is ready to carry out any task you give him and work until he is exhausted.
What would you advise him to do?
I think it is safe to assume that you would advise him to bathe, get a haircut, and exchange his rags for clean clothes from you. But he has grown so accustomed and attached to his clothing that he cannot comply with your request. Besides, all his friends wear the same kind of clothing, and he does not want to look different, or they will make fun of him.
Will you accept this homeless man as he is? Will you be able to bring him into your home? I believe your counsel will become even more urgent and persuasive. Eventually, he will yield and do what you asked. Your joy will know no bounds. You will take before-and-after photographs, send them to all your friends, and post them on social media. There will be great rejoicing!
Who is this homeless man? It is you, my friend! You have the same problem he does: you wear the same kind of clothing and do not want to part with it, or you do not know how. You are being strongly advised to bathe, cut your hair, shave, and change your clothes. What will you say? The decision is yours.
Love loves at all times
Imagine a young woman and a young man who meet, fall in love, and decide to build a family together in the future. They spend time as friends and get to know each other. They call the mutual feeling between them love and declare it in conversations and letters. We see how perfectly suited they are for one another and eagerly await their wedding so that we may rejoice in their happiness. We believe that love binds them together and will last a lifetime.
Then a crisis arises in their relationship. They see each other in an unflattering light and conclude that they should not continue together. Character traits that were previously hidden and appeared only during the trial now provoke dislike or even disgust. Only a few couples try to save the relationship; most prefer to end it forever. Does this sound familiar?
This often happens in life, and beautiful feelings turn into painful memories. But where is love? It had hoped to take root and bless the relationship, but pride mercilessly tore it out and threw it away.
True love, by contrast, loves at all times. Having once become a friend, it continues to act as a friend and loves with a pure heart. Love studies its friend and treasures all his strengths while also seeing his weaknesses. True love builds relationships even when they appear to have been destroyed. A loving heart never condemns; it looks for reasons to excuse even bad actions because it understands human weakness. A friend remains a friend even in a crisis. Love always desires its friend’s happiness, prays for him, and seeks opportunities to take part in his life and make it better and more joyful.
If I do not have such love in my life, I must pray for it and make decisions that build my relationships with people instead of destroying them. God, Who is rich in mercy and love, will answer my greatest need and show me "great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3, KJV).