The worst kind of love.

Is the kind of love that calls you to do something you don't want to do. Tells you to be kind to the unlovely, the hurtful and stupid.

Recently i watched the movie 'Fireproof', and although not usually a big fan of 'Christian' movies as they tend to be lower quality and poorly written, this one had some profound truth which i can not only support but was moved to tears because i think it spoke of something God has been impressing on me lately.

It is this. Dump all your thoughts on religion and love people. Simple.

This would be great until we come across a person who has hurt us, it is easy when we get the response we want. It is easy when it doesn't call for sacrifice. Sacrifice hurts, sacrifice is giving something of ourselves, our time, our money, our energy, our pride...our perceived need for praise and appreciation. Our felt needs of self gratification. All these feelings and ideas are contrary to this love i am talking about.

The love i am talking about stems from the very character and person of God. Not some mushy feeling or contentedness even, but a state of being. In 1 John it says "God is love", not His business, not His predisposition but He IS...hmmm. So what does it look like? Well, it is patient (like with the Israelites) it is kind, (like with Hagar), it is long-suffering (like with the human race!). Love looks like it is described in 1 Cor. 13. BUT personified in God and on earth in His son, Jesus.
Take a second and read the list below. But put in Jesus every time you read love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

My reaction was wow! Jesus does personify what love is. So what does this mean for us...? Well it was a command of Jesus for his disciples as well as for us.

In John 13 we read about the disciples and Jesus and how Jesus gave them a new command in the midst of a pretty awful dinner party. Jesus had just told his friends, his closest disciples that he was going away. He had just alluded to being betrayed and sent Judas on his way without even a harsh word. And then he tells his buddies to....love one another. Not to seek revenge, not to overthrow those who would soon come and haul him away to be tortured and killed. No, Jesus said, 'love one another'. He said by doing so the world would know they were followers of Christ. Now listen, amidst the heartache and strife of that evening meal, knowing full well what lay ahead , Jesus commands them to love. Did they get it? Well, it appears they (as we are often as well) well very distracted and wanted answers, they wanted to know what was going to happen.

How often do we become distracted by wanting to know stuff. We want God to provide answers that in truth, aren't that important. When in truth he wants us to love.

When a young scribe approached Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit (gain/win) eternal life, what was Jesus' answer? 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength..and love your neighbor as yourself' (ouch). Jesus was quoting the OT when Moses had just finished giving the ten commandments and to summerize as it ere, Moses said, just do this...and you'll get the rest.

Another recounting tells of someone asking Jesus what is the greatest commandment and he replies with the same answer. Love God and your neighbor as yourself. And if we look at the sermon--dialog on the mount Jesus says to even love your enemies. My enemies! GET OUT! But yes, these are the commands, the desires and the will of God for his people.

So what are we waiting for. Are we loving our spouses, our children, our annoying realitive, our neghbor, our mayor, our mailman, the homeless guy, the local crazy guy...what about the co-worker who slanders you or your spouse who you have been fighting with for over a year and you can't even remember what about...what about the sex addict down the street or the rapist around the corner.

This is not a easy love. This is not for faint hearted or those who only care to follo Jesus into the upper room but not out to Golgotha.

This is the message i am receiving. this is the message i am trying to live. First Corinthians 12 leads into the love chapter with the phrase, "And now I will show you the most excellent way." This most excellent way, this way which is far better than any gifting or ability is something we can all do.

So what is stopping you? Love...