The Greatest of These

My Quiet Place

The Greatest of These 

It was a frightening shock for me when I realized that I struggled with love even when I thought I was excelling in it. As a Christian, love is to the foundation of our actions and words. God's love is how we love others. It scared me to think that most of my acts of kindness had not been out of love at all. There is an artificial version of love that tricks Christians into believing they are truly loving. When this realization hit me, I was reading a Tim Keller book called Galatians For You. I was in the middle of the chapter on the fruits of the spirit. Some fruits grow more naturally in others because of their personality. But a bubbly person is not necessarily a joyful one. There is a fake side to all fruits. Keller describes the counterfeit version of love as a "selfish affection, where you are attracted to someone and treat them well because of how they make you feel better about yourself". Ouch. If you are truly loving, then you are serving another purely for "their good and intrinsic value, not for what the person brings you". How many times have I failed at loving even by doing something nice? I am naturally a sweet person. Most of the things I do for people are because it is the right, common sense thing to do. Has there ever been a time when I sincerely loved another simply for their benefit and to point them to Christ? This sad possibility broke me down. It knelt before the Lord in tears. Holy Spirit, I need you so desperately! Lord, forgive us for confusing "our gifts or natural character with the fruit of the spirit". Thankfully, Christ's death was final. I am not condemned for my sin.  I am alive in Him. But there is a continuous crucifixion that we need to experience everyday when we put to death our old, selfish nature. We must choose to enjoy the freedom that Christ's died to give us. 

{ "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." 1 John 3:18 }

Love is the purest motive we can have. 1 Corinthians 13 emphasizes the cruciality of agape love. Agape love is God's love. It is an action not a feeling. It is self-denial for the sake of another. Without love, all of our greatest spiritual deeds are worth nothing. Spiritual gifts alone count for nothing. The focus and goal of every spiritual give is love. Faith alone is worth nothing if it is not working through love. Knowledge without love is powerless. Sacrifice, if not done in love, is meaningless. Wow. I am so glad we have a God who loves us in spite of our inability to love. Love is a fruit of the spirit which means we need the Spirit's help in order to genuinely love. Since agape love is God, we need Him to experience it. 

{ "Love does not ask to have an easy life of it; self-love makes that her aim. Love denies herself, sacrifices herself, that she may win victories for God, and hers shall be no tinsel crown" Spurgen }

Love is patient. It suffers long under the insults and annoyances of others. In the greek language, it means "to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others; to be mild and slow in avenging; to be long-suffering, slow to anger, slow to punish". 

Love is kind. It is a tender affection. It  shows it is "self-mild". 

Love does not envy. It puts others' wants and desires about its own. Its intentions are pure and not soured by selfishness. 

Love does not boast. It does not parade itself. It does not give in order to receive praise, but because it loves to give. It does not put oneself on display. It does not look for glory under the false appearance of love. 

Love is not arrogant. It is not puffed up or self-absorbed. It does not "bear oneself loftily". 

Love is not rude. It is not ill-mannered or stuffy. It does not "act unbecomingly". 

Love does not insist on its own way. It does not seek its own. It wants happiness and comfort for others more than for itself. 

Love is not irritable. It is not provoked or embittered. It is not easily "roused to anger". 

Love is not resentful. It thinks no evil. It stores up no wrongdoing or past hurts. 

Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing. It wants what is best for others. It does not get excited over unrighteousness of heart and life. It stands for truth and on truth. 

Love bears all things. It covers over a multitude of sins instead of proclaiming them. It "stands in the presence of a fault, with a finger on its lip" (Spurgen). In the greek language, it means to "hide and excuses the errors and faults of others". 

Love believes all things. It sees the best in others. It does not go along with bad but with good. It has a "confidence in the goodness of men". 

Love hopes all things. It has a confidence in the future. It knows things will get better. It hopes in the best and it hopes in God. It "waits for salvation with joy". 

Love endures all things. It does not grow weary of doing good. It "bears bravely and calmly ill treatments". 

Love never ends. It does not fail. It does not fall powerless. It is never without effect.

Out of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest because it is the very essence of God. In addition, love will always be. It lasts beyond death and into eternity. When we get to heaven, we will no longer have faith because we will see Jesus clearly and with our own eyes. We will know Him as perfectly as we possibly can as Jesus knows us fully. This is the greatest part of heaven! We will no longer hope because Jesus has already come. But our love for God will remain and grow. 

{ "The streets of gold will have small attraction to us, the harps of angels will but slightly enchant us, compared with the king in the midst of the throne. He it is who shall rivet our gaze, absorb our thoughts, enchain our affection, and move all our sacred passions to their highest pitch of celestial ardour. We shall see Jesus". Spurgen }

Love is the most powerful than we know. Without it, we loose everything. With it, we heap up eternal riches, become more like Christ, and share the very nature of God. Since God is love, when we love, we point others directly to Him. Love is the key ingredient to spiritual gifts and works of righteousness. Love is the reason we breathe and the reason we can experience the wonder of seeing Jesus face to face. Ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate in you an authentic love for others. When our love grows, it touches all the other fruits of the spirits and all the actions that 1 Corinthians highlights. Remember, we can love because God loved us first.  We cannot just say no to sin. We must keep in step with the spirit so we will not give in to our fleshly desires. Reflect on His love until you desire it more than the thing that you think will give you value.  

The Girl Next Door