REAL LOVE GIVES

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:16-18 NIV

The world bandies the word “love” around like it knows what real love is. Ungodly people jump in and out of bed with a multiplicity of partners in the name of love. Even same-sex relationships are condoned in the name of love. How can this be?

Our holy God’s nature, character, and dealings with all human beings are all bound up and flow from His love, but, at the same time, His love forbids the behaviour that He knows will destroy us. Real love sets boundaries. It gives and protects.

What is the difference between love and lust? What the world calls “love”, God calls lust. Love sees the need and acts regardless of the cost to itself. Lust sees an opportunity and takes action to satisfy selfish, personal needs.

This is not to say that ungodly people are incapable of showing real love. Many charitable organisations, making no claim to be believers, still do great work to help the poor and take care of the needy. However, real love is the expression of a heart changed by grace, that feels the pain of those who suffer and acts, regardless of the cost.

So, there is a practical way for God’s children to recognise real love in another believer as well as to distinguish between godly and godless people. John says that the ultimate expression of love is the love Jesus showed us by laying down His life for us. Not many are called to make such a drastic sacrifice. Laying down our lives does not necessarily mean paying the highest price. It does mean that we serve each other by taking care of one another’s needs, at every level.

John uses a very simple example. How can we say we love God when we allow a brother or sister to go naked and hungry if we have the means to help them?

Only God’s love, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, can free us to love and care for others as Jesus did. He is the motivation and power of real love.