What Else? part 4
Love is the only thing that matters. Especially when you're talking about why Jesus came--which is to give us life, and that more abundantly. Because love is what MAKES the abundant life abundant. Love is what makes life worth living. Because love is what makes living possible. Because to live is to love, and to love is to live. They aren't just connected, they are the same thing. God is love. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The way to love, the truth about love, and the life of love. When we were yet sinners--dead in our trespasses and sins--God showed His love for us. By giving His life for us. By giving His life TO us. So that we might stop trying to earn something that can't be earned. So that we might stop feeling unloved and instead know and believe the love of God. So that we might stop killing ourselves trying to be someone we're not and instead experience that abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life as Jesus lives His own life in us, and through us, and as us. Its a life or death issue. Look at Deuteronomy 30:19, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." And, really, it IS a choice. A choice to either close your heart down--because you've been hurt before--or to guard your heart by keeping it open. Look at 1 John 4:8, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." And remember that verse we looked at the other day? "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14). If you don't know love... you don't know God. Because God IS love. And if you don't love your brother... you're abiding in death. Almost CHOOSING to stay in death even though, through the cross, we have been made alive. We have been given the Holy Spirit--the Spirit of Truth that leads and guides us into all truth--so that we might know and believe the love of God. And in that way know and believe (or have faith in) God Himself. He gave us what He wanted us to have... because He wanted us to have it... because He loves us. He gave us a righteous judgment that we ought to receive and release. The judgment of LIFE. Which is the judgment of LOVE. So that we can stop trying to GET things from each other... and instead SHARE things with each other. So that we can stop trying to earn a gift (which, by definition, cannot be earned) and we can start experiencing and enjoying that gift. By giving it away. What else could someone who is hurting need? Someone piling on and kicking them when they're down? Or someone REACHING down to help them up. If you love someone when they think they don't deserve it... you will blow their mind. And they might reject it. Because they might not be ready for it. But some plant seeds, and some water seeds. All you can do is all you can do. Do your best and forget the rest. Love people the best you can and let it be what its gonna be. Live your life the way you were created to live it: By letting God love you until you are filled to overflowing with His love and watch it come out. Naturally. Not by forcing it out, but simply by LETTING your light shine! Simply by loving others with the love that your heavenly Father has loved you with!