WORKING LOVE

 

WORKING LOVE

I John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God--for God is love. NLT

Love is not something that you can turn on and off. It is constant, regardless of circumstances. Basic to the life of the Christian is the love of God. God loves us always, no matter how we act or react. He loves us even when He doesn’t like what we do and say. In the same way, we are to love one another.

We tend to turn away from people whom we have a problem with. We avoid them as if they had the bubonic plague. We prefer to not even see them, let alone have fellowship with them. We seek to avoid being around them. We think negatively about them and don’t really care much about what is going on in their lives. So often, this is true in the fellowship of the church.

As believers in Christ, we are commanded and compelled by God to love one another. There is no allowance for us to act in an unlovely way towards each other. When we allow things to come between us that prevent us from loving each other, it is sin. God is love and if His love is in us, we will treat others in a loving way. It does not mean that we will always get along with everybody, but it does mean that we won’t harbor bad feelings towards one another. We will be gracious towards others regardless of how another may respond. We will desire their good and support them in our prayers when they act in an unlovely way. We will commit them to the Lord and as far as we can, live at peace with them.

Anyone who does not love in a godly way does not know God—for God is love. We live in sin when we fail to love one another in a godly way. Love for God demands that we repent of our sin and strive to love others even as we love God. Godly love is a working love. How well are you let it work for you?