When someone has the mentality of using God when He is needed while negating His commands and desires for us, then it is likely they feel this way about people too.
We do not have one attitude toward God and a totally different one for people. If we love God, we will love people. If we are humble toward God, then we will be humble toward people.
Humility is the absence of self, so that we might be a servant to others.
Philippians 2:4 "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
1 John 3:14: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers."
John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
1 Peter 1:22: 22 "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,"
When we love people, we don't use them; our interactions with them are not transactions to benefit only ourselves.
What is love God's way?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
"4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
It is not hard to discern when others have this love of Christ, one can sense it. Even those who do not love can sense it and resent it. They feel threatened by it and by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
This love of Christ can intimidate rebellious people, chasing them away, but it will entice those who are open to Christ to come closer to learn how they can have it too.
James 5:7-8 "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near."
I am convinced that in these last days before Christ takes His church home, the world that does not love is getting harsher and those who love Christ are becoming more loving and dedicated to Him. Their love will be like a candle lit in the darkness; the world sees it but is afraid of it.
May the love of the Lord shine so brightly in us that it can be seen by all those people around us, so that the ungodly who reject Christ will run away and those who want to know Him will draw closer.
Matthew 5:15-16 "…15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. "
Mark 4:21 "Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand?"
Luke 11:33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar or under a basket. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light."
Luke 8:16 "No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light. let your light shine before men,
Philippians 2:15 "so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world."
May our light shine brighter as the world grows darker. Let our love be a beacon in this fallen world before we go home.
No comments:
Post a Comment