Love.
If you want to do something fun, ask your friends and family to define love. You’ll hear all kinds of answers. Some of them very funny; others very serious.
Love is such a dynamic word and has such a range of meaning. Consider some of these: “I love my spouse.” “I love my sister.” “I love my dog.” “I love my job.” “I love the snow.” “I love my car.” “I love sprinkles.” We love many things. As such, love has a wide variety of uses and a range of meaning.
As it relates to people, love has a very specific meaning.
Love Described
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
(Ephesians 5:1-2)
The Apostle Paul describes what biblical love looks like in this passage – it looks like Christ’s love. We are to love others as Christ loves us. We are to live lovingly just as Jesus did.
The challenge we receive is to imitate God as children of God. The specific way Paul identifies for us to imitate God is in love. To walk in it means to live it out daily as we walk down the journey of life.
Jesus provided the perfect example. Jesus lovingly gave Himself as a selfless example. He sacrificially gave Himself. Even though we did not deserve to be loved, He chose to love us, give Himself for us, and provide for us – even to His own peril. He died as a selfless act of love. In the process, His sacrificial love provided a sweet-smelling aroma unto God.
Love Expressed
How do we demonstrate Christ’s love to others?
We choose to love selflessly. We sacrificially love. We love as an expression of our love for Christ.
- My focus is on you, not me. I choose to learn you, watch you, listen to you, and seek to help you because Christ does the same for us – not because you earn it. The goal for our love is the same as Christ’s love. What does the other person need? Our temptation is to ask primarily, “What do I want?” “What will make me happy?” Instead, our focus is on the need of the other person.
- My greatest joy is giving, not receiving. Is it fun to receive? Absolutely. In fact, there is nothing wrong with enjoying love you receive from others – and all the expressions of their love. However, our greatest joy – like Christ’s – should be to give your love not receive their love. As you go about living, you give, give, and give more. As you do, your joy grows. Why? Because the joy comes from giving and loving like Christ which is selfless.
- My love serves, regardless of being served. Love is active. Love serves others rather than waits to be served. What if the other person does not deserve it? When you perceive the other person does not deserve it, this is when you must consider Christ and His love for you when you did not deserve it. Christ loves us and serves us even when we do not deserve it. In fact, we did not deserve Christ’s service and love toward us on the cross; however, Jesus’ greater desire was to honor and serve His Father. He pleased His Father by serving us, even when we didn’t deserve it. Likewise, we please the Father whenever the love of Christ motivates us to serve others by love, regardless of how they serve us back.
- My love honors Christ’s love, seeking to honor the Father. Being aware of Christ’s love and how He did everything to honor His Father (Phil 2:1-11), I seek to love like Christ and honor the Father as well. This type of love focuses on loving people as I love Christ. In other words, you look at the person you love, who is in the image of Christ, and choose to love that person in the light of Christ. When love seems hard and difficult, look past the person to Christ. Choose love for the person and in the situation that is difficult as you would Christ. David Powlison used to say, choose contraconditional love. In spite of what a person deserves, still choose to love.
Love Enjoyed
As you choose to love as Christ, you will find that your joy increases and the one you love will enjoy it as well. What a blessing to both of you! Is it always easy? Of course not. It would be nice if love came easy for everyone. However, it does not. Yet, even though it is difficult, when you love like Christ, every one wins. Christ is honored. The one you love is blessed. And, you receive the spiritual blessings of having fulfilled the first and second great commandments. In the process, joy grows for each person.
Do not wait to feel like it or wait until you feel like someone earns your love; instead, choose love as Christ. May the one you love enjoy the love you share. May God the Father be honored in our choices. May God receive the glory.
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together