Articles
Loving Others
Jody and I argue over who loved who first. I am just absolutely positive I loved her first. It just took me a lot longer than her to realize it. However, there is no argument on who-loved-who first when it comes to our God. “We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:19-21, NKJV).
Do some people annoy you? They interrupt when you’re trying to concentrate, ignore you when you need their help, or give unwanted advice? Sometimes, the best we can do is tolerate them.
Tolerating people isn’t loving them, and God has set a high standard for us. He initiated love toward us when we were completely unlovable. We cannot just tolerate people, even the world does that. It is especially true when it comes to the family of God. Loving people makes us like our Father (Matt. 5:35). God has loved us with genuine and unconditional love. He gives us an example of what love looks like. His love was proven by action and measured by sacrifice (John 3:16). He gave His only begotten Son and allowed Him to be sacrificed. He poured out His love with grace, forgiveness, and affection. We respond genuinely by calling Him “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).
The love we show others indicates our level of love for God. If we fail to love horizontally, we can assume there’s a problem in our vertical relationship with God. We won’t reach out in love until God has reached out first. That is why the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matt 22:37). And the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:39).
We love those around us by pursuing what’s best for them. We pray for them. We do them good, and we speak well of them (Matt. 5:44). When we are listening, we are fully present in the moment. When we are caring, we give everything we’ve got because we’re aware that God gave His all to us. How can we say we love our brother if we see him in need and do not pour our heart's love out to help provide for him (1 John 3:17)? Telling someone we love them is important, but even greater is to show them our love (1 John. 3:18). The more we experience the transforming love of God, the more His love spills out of us toward those around us.
"I am doing 'better than good' because I love the unlovable, give hope to the helpless, friendship to the friendless, and encouragement to the discouraged.” -- Zig Ziglar
Rickie Jenkins
