Love Sweet Love
by Cindy Allen
When I was a teenager, my friends and I took quizzes in magazines that measured our love aptitude. I am not sure if we put much value in them, who can remember that far back, but now it makes me chuckle to think of us piled up in a bed giggling and checking boxes.
If we are really going to learn about love, we have to go to the source of love…God. Love begins with God; it is one his most overarching attributes. Scripture after scripture points to God’s love for us, for the lost, for the saved, for ALL humanity.
But love does not stop with God, he expects us to love. Jesus stated this in John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Do you think Jesus wanted the disciples, and us, to get an important point here? Three times he tells them to love one another. And isn’t that what our world needs now.
The Bible continues to give us guidance on love in I Corinthians 13. Most of us know this as the love chapter. It ends with verse 13 telling us faith, hope, and love will remain but the greatest is love. But it doesn’t leave us uninformed about love, the previous verses tell us exactly what love is.
Let’s look at the description of love as if it were one of those tests from the magazines in the 1980s.
How Well Do You Demonstrate Love?
Put your name in blank.
______ is patient
______ is kind
______does not envy
______does not boast
______is not proud
______does not dishonor others
______is not self-seeking
______is not easily angered
______keeps no record of wrong
______does not delight in evil
______rejoices with truth
______always protects
______always trusts
______always hopes
______always perseveres
I won’t ask your score, if you don’t ask mine! God set a high standard for us when it comes to love. HE IS THE STANDARD. We will ever reach the standard? NO. Should that keep us from trying? NO.
In 1965, a popular song was released, “What the world needs now is love sweet love, it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” God saw this need thousands of years ago, and Jesus implored his followers to spread just what was needed. Look around you; who needs love? YOU could be the one to share with them.
Response: Review the attributes on the list. Some you are already good at, some need work. Choose one or two and get busy. The world needs God; the world needs you. Let them know you are a follower by your love.
Prayer: Precious Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me love when I was a lost sinner and thank you for continuing to love me, even when I am unlovable. Help me to show that same love to others. In my mind, not all people deserve my love, but I have to be reminded, I didn’t deserve your love. Help me to be patient, kind, and all the other things that will draw people to me and to you. Let me share your love with the people in my world who need love the most. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Scripture: I John 4:10-12; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; I Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:13-14
