Loving Others

MAY THE LORD MAKE YOUR LOVE INCREASE AND OVERFLOW FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE, JUST AS OURS DOES FOR YOU. 1 THESSALONIANS 3.12.

‘Love’ is the greatest theme of the Bible. It is not surprising because God is love (1 Jn 4.8). His greatest expression of love towards us was the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us! (Jn 3.16). Jesus said, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Mt 22.37-40).

‘Lack of love is the root of all problems!’ There are no problems that cannot be resolved if there is love! If you love God, you will obey Him. If you obey God, you will love people. Love does no harm to anyone! The world would be a more peaceful place to live in and life would be more pleasant for everyone.

‘To love’ should be the easiest thing to do but unfortunately it is not. Even the twelve disciples of Jesus had a problem loving each other. More than anything else, Jesus’ greatest concern was that the disciples should learn to love one another. He repeatedly commanded them to love each other for He saw in them continued traits of jealousy and selfishness! Jesus knew that if they did not genuinely love each other they could love none else!

That is why Jesus repeatedly told His disciples about loving each other. He said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (Jn 13.34,35). Thank God that He has not only commanded us to love each other but “God has also poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Rom 5.5). By the love that the Holy Spirit has poured out in our hearts we can and should now love not only those who love us but also those who hurt or even hate us!

Our love will speak more eloquently than all our preaching and professing! It will be more persuasive than all the miracles we may perform. So let us make love our chief aim. The apostle Paul wrote, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:1,2). Think about it and begin to show the genuineness of your love!

Dear believer, “May the Lord make my love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else”. Notice, “each other” (means those near to you) must precede “everyone else!” Our folly is that we try to love everyone else before each other, those who are around us! It doesn’t work that way. So let us henceforth determine to begin where we should start – love the brother or sister whom we see - and ask the Holy Spirit to help us overcome our weaknesses in doing it!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, thank You for Your greatest act of love in sending Your Son to die for me. Help my love for each other to increase and overflow so that all may know that I am Your disciple. Amen.