By Mark Maher
Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Love is the Christian superpower.
It’s the place where we show others Christ. Love wins every time. It’s how we’re different. We respond different than the world. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
One voice runs consistent, “just love them.” The love of Christ will be seen by your response and your actions. Christ loved us, even though it was undeserved, unmerited. (Romans 5:15-17) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
It’s His love for us that fuels our love for others. Christ reminds us of the beauty of love. Of course you’re going to get tested. Of course you’ll lose your patience, but we can never lose our love. This is the place where Christ fuels us. We come back to the well to gain His love. It’s through our deep relationship with Christ that we find our love, and in turn, it pours out onto others.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
We have to be mindful of pushing people away with our judgement, fear voice, and unrealistic expectations. Love is kind, it embraces, it listens intently, gently, and graciously. The gift is to be so strong in love that others don’t have to deserve it, earn it, demonstrate it, etc. They know that we love them simply for who they are and it’s good enough.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)
We really have simply one commandment. Just love God with everything you got and just love others. This is the simplicity of our faith.
The other mission statement I like is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, Give THANKS in ALL circumstances; for THIS is the WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus for you.
So if we simply break it down to the simplicity we are to love God, love others, and give thanks through it all.
Our job is to remind people that you are good enough, you matter, and you are loved. You are loved because you are you. You are a child of God. You are you and that’s enough. Today, we move towards love and encouragement and we celebrate every victory.
I have four teenagers and my call is to “just love them.” Someday this house will be full of grandchildren and my call will be “to just love them.” As I step out the door to my house my call is to “just love them.” They will know us by our faith and our faith is rooted in love.
