Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Jan/79

Contributor - Dr. Robert Westra

Title - "Introspect" Love Is...

Topic - Youth

Do we really love one another?

Jesus commanded that we are to love one another as He loves us (John 15: 12). Quite a demand for us, mortals isn't it? Yet Jesus made no exceptions to the rule. Not only did He make no exceptions, but He went on to say that if we do what He commands then we are his friends. Maybe we should ask the question, are we friends of Jesus? Many of us may think we are friends, but does our love show it?

At the time of this writing, an article in the Edmonton Journal (Dec. 6, 1978) explained that seven firemen in Rhyl, a town in North Wales, refused to go on strike with their comrades because it was against their humanitarian principles. When the strike was over, some of their former comrades became their enemies, while others refused to defend or speak to them for fear of being ostracized in a similar manner. The townspeople, for whom they stood to defend, also refused to help. Today, all seven men are without jobs and live in a state of deep depression. Who are their friends today?

Love is acting and filling a need.

But in fulfilling the demands of love, it depends on how much we trust in Jesus, our friend.

A remark that a member of the church once made to me was, "all I hear is love, love, love in this church, but I see very little. My mother died last week, and I received no visits, no words of comfort from anyone and received only one card of sympathy. Where is the love you talk about?" This person heard a lot about love, but when there was a need for consolation, no one came. Some time later in our conversation I asked if he had ever visited anyone who was sick, or a person who had lost a member of the family. He said that he hadn't. Earlier in our discussion I discovered that he had never shared his relationship to Jesus Christ with anyone. He stressed that he kept his "religion" to himself. "It is a personal thing, you know," he said.

On two different occasions Jesus said, "Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25; 10:39.) Too often we ask, "What is in it for me?" and believe that if it offers me nothing, there is nothing in it for me. Rather we should ask the question, "What is in it for me to do?" Jesus-loves us so that we can love another. It is something we do. When we fail to love another, we cannot experience or know the love of Jesus. Love is all tied up in losing ourselves to another in order to receive and experience love. Otherwise love will be a word we only hear. We may receive the praise and adoration of others when we fill their need for love, but when we fail to live up to their standards and they turn their ugly faces to us, our love for them must still remain obvious. This is the acid test of losing ourselves for Jesus' sake. This is also when we receive our greater rewards. And the opportunities will come to each of us when these situations arise, so that the genuine love of Christ, who lives in us, may not remain hidden. This can be done when we show forgiveness and pray on their behalf. If we believe Jesus is our friend, then we know he is greater than all the hatred any man can muster. This is the opportunity to show how Christ in us can really love that person, no matter how ugly and fierce his hatred becomes.

I remember, on one occasion, this happened to me, Because of something I stood for, this person took fierce offence against me, rather than against what I stood for. It was a difficult time, because God was testing me as to the genuiness of my friendship with himself. The other person was being tested similarly, I found out later. However, I made up my mind that each time I would meet him in church, I would cheerfully say, "Good morning", and say his name. It was not until several years later, he finally broke the ice and we became good friends. Love is acting and filling a need.

Love does not depend on feeling, it depends on what we do. We are so prone to act according to how we feel, rather than acting according to what we know we must do. Og Mandino, in his book The Greatest Salesman in the World says, "Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts." Our thoughts are very tightly knitted with our feelings. We read how Eve fell into sin because she saw that the fruit was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise" (Genesis 3: 66). You don't see delight as YOU would see a tree, but you see delight as a thought which is closely linked with a feeling you have. Love is more than this. it is a relationship between persons where something is done to make it happen.

When I meet a person who is arrogant, offensive or abusive, I get feelings of dislike - my immediate response is to avoid him. On the other hand, if I meet a person who is meek, kind and has a cheerful countenance, I get feelings of joy - my immediate response is to associate with him. However, love expressed for either person is not love if I am responding to his countenance. Love is expressed when I develop a personal relationship with him regardless of how I think he may feel towards me.

When we understand what it means to love another, we also understand what Paul means when he says, "Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you" (I Thess. 5: 16-18). Notice he says, "all". You cannot depend on feelings when you must be able to i 4 rejoice always, pray constantly and give thanks in all circumstances". When we do rejoice always, and do pray constantly, and do give thanks in all circumstances, then we are in a right frame of mind to love one another no matter what may come in between. The next time you meet someone who is unloving, then in the frame of mind Paul admonishes us to have, do something to show you love that person. Maybe it means to say, "Good morning", saying it with your head up and a big smile. Remember how God demonstrated His love to us? Read it for yourself in Ephesians 2.

And, yes, you know what? are also demonstrating our love Jesus still demonstrates his love for one towards you and me! If we, therefore, are friends of Jesus, then we another daily.

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