Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of
God and knows God. 1
John 4:7
Beloveds,
we are to love without hypocrisy. God is love, and we cannot love without His
Spirit. His love is unique and unfathomably profound. It is beyond the love we
can give or appreciate, and it is best expressed in the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, our love must mirror His love, or we
are merely hypocrites - bad actors. Love embraces good and rejects evil, it is
kind, generous, consistent, durable, and humble. It takes action, overcomes
obstacles, and manifests in service to others. It talks less than it works.
Love is alive and active, and the opposite of love is not hate, but apathy.
Our
love is to be shared in maturity and wisdom. It handles the good and the
difficult with the dignity of the Holy Spirit. Love does not require that it be
returned or acknowledged, as it is not needy, but complete in Christ. Love is
not showy or dramatic, and it is not hindered by or mired in controversy. Love always
accomplishes what it sets out to do; and just as Jesus was not deterred from
His mission, neither will you be, if you love God.
Remember,
love is the best revenge. No other power
can compete with love, so it never has to get even. Love will never allow us to
act in kind with those who wrong us, or the world, or those who don't know the
Lord. Our example is Jesus, and He never avenged himself, vindicated himself,
or felt the necessity of explaining Himself. His love spoke for Him, and He
ever lives as the Lover and Savior of all men. Amen.
Love
and perfect peace,
Pastor
Eric
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