LOVE

Have you ever asked yourself, “What does it mean to be a Christian?”  There are millions of people around the world that claim that label for themselves, yet that label seems to send a confusing message. 

We hear of people who kill others because they say God told them to; claiming they are Christians.  Alternatively, we hear of people who serve others generously with their time and resources. 

We have friends who gossip constantly about others who claim Christianity.  Then again, we know of a select few who never gossip and hold their tongue when it comes to others weaknesses. 

What about others who protest with literal messages of Hate written on signs who claim they are Followers of Christ?  Contrasting the message of Hate, we quietly search for the few who will stand for truth in Love.

No wonder the world pushes away the idea of being a Christian, which is simply a Follower of Christ.  Why is the negative seemingly so dominant?  Why isn’t Love being loudly proclaimed from every Christian life? 

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.”  This is a command from Jesus himself!  When others see Christians they should see Love. 

Love.  As you and I both know, there are many forms of Love.  So if Followers of Christ are to show Love to others, what form of Love would set believers apart from others who don’t follow Jesus? There are people I know who happen to be Atheists that display Love better than some Christians I know.  So what kind of Love is Jesus talking about?

He is talking about a self-less kind of Love, the kind of Love where you don’t expect to get anything in return.  I’m talking about where the person you are showing Love to couldn’t repay you physically, emotionally, or monetarily.  That is the form of Love that Jesus took on the cross.  John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.

God demonstrated his Love for ALL people when he gave Jesus as a sacrifice for our punishment for sin.

You see the form of Love that Jesus commands us to live out is a self-less, sacrificing of ourselves kind of Love.  Do you claim the label of Christian for yourself?  Are you living out the kind of Love that Jesus commands us to?  If you haven’t been, then start TODAY!  Find one person this week that you can show Love to that will cause you to sacrifice something (time, money, emotional investment) and with no benefit to you.  Then tell me and others who read this blog in the comments section if you took action and did it!

Let’s show the world what being a Christian really means, LOVE.