Sorry for the long time between posts, I have been a little busy the last few weeks. I hope to be a little more regular in my updates over the next few weeks.
Love. We hear a lot of talk about love these days. People love their new shoes, love their favorite tv show, love a certain song or singer, they love a certain type of food. the word love gets thrown around a lot between people too. Often it really means little more than a warm, fuzzy feeling for someone. I think it is time to ask, "What does it really mean to love?"
The Bible says that God is love, so that seems the logical place to start looking. How did God love? God exhibited His love by sending His only begotten Son to die for us when we were yet sinners. We can take our example from that. To love is to desire someone else's long-term well being and to be willing to engage in acts of self-sacrifice to bring that about. John's Gospel puts it this way, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13)
The next time you say you love someone, take a moment to consider. Are you willing to make sacrifices to ensure their well being? If not, you should probably find another word. Now, we are called to love one another. That takes on a whole new meaning in today's me first society. If we are to truly love one another, we are to put the well being of others ahead of our own wants. Steve Chalke put it this way, "The Christian life is all about winning by living in ways that look like you are losing."
This is based on a passage from "Christians and the Common Good" by Charles Gutenson. I am currently reading this and will probably be sharing thoughts from it over the next few days. Please indulge me while I play theologian for a few days. If you are interested in theology and the Christian's role in society, this is a good book to start with. I don't agree with all of the author's conclusions, but it is good food for thought.
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