“LOVING LIKE GOD”
The word love can be confusing, mostly because, in the English language we say we love our spouse, and we say we love ice cream. That hardly seems like comparable love! The Greek language has different words to describe different types of love. Eros describes romantic love and passion. Phila means intimate, authentic friendship (brotherly love). Storge describes the love for one’s family. Agape means empathetic, universal love, unconditional love. There are actually three more Greek words for love, however, I think you get the point.
No matter what type of love you have, there is a common thread that runs through love and that is the desire for the best for the person you love. That is to say, you will do all you can do to help those you love to achieve the goal of being the best person they can be. People who love one another will challenge each other to grow. Sometimes, in the process of growth, friends may disagree. This does not mean that love ceases to exist. This is when love reigns supreme. Such as the case with Paul in his letter to the Galatians. He reminds them that it was because of an illness he got the opportunity to share the gospel with them. He praises them for the way they cared for him, yet now, they seem to b drifting away. So, Paul asks the question in Galatians 4:16- 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Many people believe that love means always agreeing with one another and condoning the speech and actions of others. Nothing is further from the truth. Throughout the Bible, we are given instructions and illustrations of how to love. In Matthew 5:23, Jesus says to be reconciled to your brother before you offer your gift at the altar. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus says if you see a brother in in sin, go and show him his fault. Both of these instructions demonstrate love. If you don’t have love for your brothers, why would you care? Again, in Galatians, Paul opposed Peter at Antioch because Peter was being a hypocrite and leading others astray (Galatians 2:11ff). We can easily see that loving one another is not all about the “feel good” emotion but can also be uncomfortable.
Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. Here we see a Samaritan showing love to a perfect stranger, perhaps even an enemy. The Samaritan cared for the beaten traveler and took him where he could recover and paid the expenses. Paul says in Galatians 6:1, 2-Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Did you catch the end of that passage? Love fulfills the law of Christ!
Paul wrote I Corinthians 13 describing how love should look. We often hear parts of this chapter read at weddings, when in reality it is describing agape love, that is unconditional love we should have for all mankind. Paul reminds us at the end of the chapter that when all is said and done, all that remains is love.
Love is not always easy, and it can be uncomfortable. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to die on the cross. Sometimes, love involves tough choices. Love is always putting the best interests of others first. Let us love like Jesus, that, after all. Is the true mark of discipleship.
Read John 13:34, 35