The Love of Christ part 2
Here's what I was thinking--because I'm a writer, so words are very important to me--when we use a phrase like, "the love of Christ" what we're really saying is "how Jesus loved." And this is how Jesus loved: He loved us so much that He would rather die than be without us. Literally. He loved us so much that He gave His life for us, and He gave His life to us. He loved us so much that He endured the cross, and all of the pain, and embarassment, and humiliation that came with it. There was nothing He wouldn't do for us, even to the point of laying His life down for us. Giving everything He had and everything He was. Because He wanted us to have it. Because He loved us. Romans 5:8 says it like this, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When there was nothing we could do for Him, He did everything for us. We had an external Law of rights and wrongs, dos and don'ts. But we couldn't hope to keep it. Because external behavior modification can never, and will never, bring REAL lasting change. You might see a little bit of success getting people to do what you want if you scare them badly enough. But if getting people to do what you want is your goal then you're about as far away from love as you can possibly get. Because love is not about getting. Love IS giving. Giving what you've got. Inside. Letting what's inside come out as you fill yourself to overflowing with it. As you focus on the love of Christ... that love begins to control you. And not in a scary, "Do it or else," kind of way. But in the way that love is so big, so central, so important, that everything you do flows from it. Then you begin to see others the way God sees you. You begin to obey the New Commandment and love others AS Christ has loved you. Once you begin to receive it, that's when you can release it. And I'm convinced that the best way TO receive it is BY releasing it. I think the biggest step you can take in this walk of faith is to walk in love. To reach out to someone and give them what THEY need. Which, by the way, is what YOU have. 1 John 4:16, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." Known and believed. We have BEEN loved, and because of that we CAN love. The NLT puts it like this, "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." We know how much He loves us. And that's WHY we can put our trust in His love. It's not a blind leap of faith. It's simply experiencing the gift we've been given by giving it away. By sharing it with all those around us. By loving others as HE loves us. The love is Christ is all about sacrifice. About taking care of others because we KNOW and BELIEVE that we are taken care of. Our heavenly Father has our back. And that equips and empowers us to have the backs of those we come into contact with. We don't have to worry about getting. We can simply give away what we've got. That's the love of Christ. Giving. Giving yourself. Everything you have and everything you are. Laying your life down for your friends.