Are You Expressing True Love?
Everyone thinks he knows what real out going love is- but few do. Even fewer realize the vital importance of expressing it
Every human being is just naturally interested in his or her own things.
He knows nothing else!
He is interested
in his own pleasure. His own happiness. His own profit, His own
importance. Charm, Effectiveness, Success, Friends, who mean a lot to
him
.
Often, He is
concerned for others only when he is reminded that he should be, and
then it is because doing, nice things makes him feel like a better
person. A small sacrifice or a charitable act becomes a mean's of self
exaltation, TO do something nice for others makes him feel good, and
makes others admire him.
Yet, in his own
mind he thinks he has "love." Truly, as God's Word tells us, man's
heart is deceptive above all things and desperately wicked( Jeremiah
7:9).
A Loveless Generation
One of the
saddest commentaries of our time is the lack of genuine
love and concern for other members
of the human race.
Almost everyone suffers from the loneliness of being shut out from the thoughts and .actions of others.
Loneliness has
come to be a major problem in our modern way of life, it has probably
been the cause of more delinquency, destructive acts and desperate
behavior than any other single factor.
As Norman Roston
wrote in the article "The Ones - Who Wait" published several years ago
in The Saturday Eventng Post,"you can see them (the unloved) in
the city or town, men or women, the young and the old, gathering in the
late afternoon or evenings, strolling in the streets, or wandering
through stores or in the parks, or sitting on park benches or heading
for bars. They are in search of others, the unnamed, the yet to be
found, the hour-long or night long companions. And the numberless
unseen who merely wait alone in separate rooms, in smaltl desperate
rooms, their, hope behind, accepting defeat. These are the ones who
have somehow missed the miracle. Passed by while others were chosen."
"Perhaps the
saddest of these are the aged and ill, betrayed by the world, forgotten
by kin. The living turn cruelly and irrevocably away from the
dying. And love, the root of life, withers."
"'I don't know
why they're keeping me alive,' said the man in the sun tilled ward in
the hospital, his hands flat upon the sheet his head turned toward the
window where the sun danced. I'm not going anywhere if I get better.
I've got a sister living in California, but she hasn't written for
years, and I never hear from my daughters. No one visit's me now except
a nun sometimes, who is very nice, but I don't even know her name. It
doesn't mean anything."
"It is not
merely a matter of age. The loveless exist wherever life may be. They
are the obviously scarred or the seemingly well, the wounded with the
scar hidden, they are married or single, in and out of careers, in and
out of marital beds or motel adventures, all touched by that, shadow of
having been denied, forgotten, unblessed."
This is a
pitiful, sad commentary on real life! Perhaps you feel that you are
being left out of the affection and concern of others.
But what are you
doing for others? How about you? Do you have any loved ones going
hungry for a word of encouragement, a note or visit that says you care
about them?
Truly, outgoing
love is in desperately short supply in this generation. If you and I
are not careful, we will fall right into the trap that so many people
without any knowledge of God's truth are in. But if we will begin to
exercise outgoing concern ourselves, our own loneliness will evaporate.
Even though this
godless generation makes goodwill diilicult, it is still necessary for
human happiness. Life without personal warmth and goodwill is not real
living.
Love Absolutely Necessary
People need to
see a smile and receive a cheery greeting that some how conveys
interest in their welfare, with a willingness to stop and help when
necessary. Such love is a vital part of any happy society.
And it will be a prominent, personal, daily quality in God's Kingdom.
Those of us who
are able to see that outgoing love is, a part of God's way of life, and
who have chosen to come out of this world and to learn and practice
God's way, may not excuse ourselves from having and practicing outgoing
love and concern for others. It is an absolute requirement for any who
expect to enter His Kingdom.
Those who have
not demonstrated genuine outgoing concern for others in their daily
lives will not enter at all (Matthew 25:31-4)!
To those who do
not aid the stranger, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick and
the confined, Jesus Christ will say, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into
the everlasting lire prepared for the devil and his angels."
True love is so
important that Almighty God warns those without it that they are as
worthless as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).
A personality devoid of outgoing love is a sick personality! It is unpleasant, unwholesome and ineffective.
On the other
hand, an outgoing personality adds immeasurably to health, happiness
and prosperity. It is a delight to everyone, and it will certainly make
the lives of those around much brighter and more worthwhile.
The apostle
Paul, wrote: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I
could remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing" (I Corinthians 13:1-2).
.
This knowledge comes only from, the Bible, and understanding Comes from God's Holy Spirit, which no one possesses naturally.
Whithout God's
Holy Spirit, the only genuine interest we have is self-interest.
Unconverted people are interested, in others only in relation to what
others mean to them - what they get in return.
Since this
world's advisers are without God's Spirit, their writings or examples
unwittingly advocate "putting it on" in order to receive. But giving in
order to receive is not goodwill. It is pursuing self-profit.
All of us have
heard about love and goodwill from people who don't really understand
it. We have seen others' examples of what it is supposed to be, but We
have received wrong information. Right Knowledge was simply not
available because of a lack of spiritual understanding.
Some Are Asleep
Yet even some
who have been baptized, have God's Spirit, know God's plan and hope to
enter God's Kingdom lack this outgoing love. They just don't think
about others. Their fruitless lives make it obvious that they do not
actively care for others. They intend to do right. They often think to
do good works, yet seldom get around to actually doing them. They try
to be nice they often say and do pleasant things They try to be
fair.
Yet, no one is
benefited. No one's life is being changed. No one's hope is lifted up.
No happiness is radiated to others. No joy is spread,. Instead, they
are forced to rationalize, defend themselves, argue or retreat. This
kind of behavior falls far short of truly outgoing love.
In fact, it is,
not love at all.it is merely living up to what we feel is required of
us. It is a person's way of demanding credit for being nice. It is
selfish.
Goodwill or true
outgoing love must come from a Spirit-led heart, Even though the heart
of man is not naturally inclined to love his fellows, through God's
help we can change.
And there is a lot we must do ourselves.
What can we do?
The formula for receiving God's Holy Spirit is given by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:38.
Peter said to
those pricked in the heart and wanting to do something about their
condition: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance means
turning 'from your human way of self-centeredness And pursuing
God's way. It means repenting of breaking. God's law. and setting
your will to obey from here on.
God will then
give you His Holy Spirit, a spirit of a sound mind -- wisdom by which
you can intelligently love and consider others. You cannot work up
goodwill by yourself.
To act like you have is to be false. Any act, no matter how good; is eventually discovered to be just that - acting.
On the other
hand; when we receive God's Holy Spirit we do. not just automatically
and mysteriously become perfect. We work toward perfection with much
effort on our part using the Spirit God gives us.
God's Spirit
opens our minds to realize the importance of others in our lifes and
our importance in theirs. The goodwill we give and receive is a vital
commodity. We come to realize that fellowship of kindred spirits is
most beautiful. God's Spirit also gives us the assurance that this
harmonious love and goodwill is worth working for.
If you would like to know more about this vital key, to true outgoing love, write for our free reprint "How You Can Be Imbued with the Power of God" See the middle front cover for the address nearest you.
Your part
Outgoing love
requires work along with willpower and determination. It is
an uphill pull: because human nature is not natrally outgoing.
Human nature, as
influenced by Satan the devil, the "Prince of the power of the air"
(Ephesians 2:2) is selfish.. To be outgoing in love cuts against the
grain of what we have been absorbing through Satan's influence all our
lives.
Wisdom to try -
wisdom to correctly guide your efforts - wisdom to keep trying in spite
of all adversity, wisdom to discern God's will - is an absolute
necessity in learning to exercise true love.
.
If any of you
lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him But let him ask in faith, with no
"doubting" (James1: 5-6).
In faith, you must stand unwaveringly on your trust and conviction.
In hope, you
guide your action expecting to receive the desire you have set your
heart on. This hope adds the spiritual motivation to go forward. In
love, you must act with un-selfishness, with initiative and genuine
concern for everyone.
These three
important ingredients are added to your gilt of wisdom through effort
on your part they are all important, but the most important, and the
one that takes most effort, is love. (I Corinthians I3:13)
Love and Godly Character
This what life is all about. This is how you have your part in your own salvation.
This process of
creating Godly Character in us is God's plan of creating children. It
is His doing, but we also have our part. Besides our willpower and
determination, it takes our resourcefulness, perseverance and drive.
It requires
breaking old habits - habits of thinking and acting selfishly. It then
requires building new habits - habits of thinking and acting in
outgoing love. The old habits are deeply ingrained, just as the new
habits must become deeply ingrained if they are to become part of us.
To build a habit
.you must do a thing over and over until it becomes automatic behavior.
It has been said that we are want we habitually are, and you become
godlike when you become habitually and consistently godlike.
God is love and
He acts habitually 'and consistently in outgoing love. That is what we
are learning to do through HIS Holy Spirit. The basic laws of God are
given for the 'purpose of developing godly love and goodwill. They are
laws of love (I John 4:8).
The meaning
I Corinthians 13
makes it clear what true love is. The word translated charity in the
Authorized Version does not mean "giving to the poor." Verse 3 clearly
demonstrates that - read it yourself.
The Greek
word translated "charity" is agape, not Phileo which is more
commonly used, to denote emotional love. Agape and Phileo have similar
meanings, but Phileo "Comes chiefly from the heart," explains
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance while agape "comes from the
head." It means to think and act toward others with genuine concern and
tenderness. It means having goodwill -feeling it deeply but
intelligently.
While either
word can be translated "love," the Authorized Version translators used
"charity"to distinguish this intelligent, heartfelt concern (outgoing
love or goodwill) from the kind of emotion that the word love conveys
to the average person.
What True Love is Like
Verse 4 shows
that this agape, this intelligent outgoing love or goodwill, is always
patient with others, suffering long with any grievance received from
them.
It is kind - unfailingly kind - as you will see by comparing verse 4 with verse 8.
Love never
compares itself with others (II Corinthians 10:12) so that it is never
envious (jealous), never vaunts itself (boasts) to get self acclaim.
It is never
puffed up (arrogant, self-important). Such puffed-up ego only shows,
that you have compared yourself with others and found them beneath you.
Goodwill - will never behave itself unseemly (unpleasantly,
unbecomingly). Phillipians 4:8 also adds information on the pleasant
things we should do instead: "Whatever things are true, whatever things
are noble, whatever things are just, what ever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if
there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on
these things."
True love seeks not its own - is not self-centered, not carnal (1 Corinthians I3:5).
It is not easily provoked (aroused to anger).
It thinks no evil - does not dwell on the ugly, wicked side of others behavior, nor is resentful OR bitter!
And it never rejoices in hearing or seeing iniquity. Instead, it rejoices in truth in wholesomeness (verse 6).
If a person
belittles or insults you, real love never causes you to rail back, but
it bears all things (forbears in all provocations). It never inflicts
harm for harm, evil for evil or insult for insult.
This agape
believes, the best in all matters. It does not show unpleasantness and
ill-will by doubting or causing dissent, but hopes for the best in all
things - is not negative!
God's Love
Endures all things. Trials unpleasant episodes, differences of opinion,
misunderstandings do not send it off in a corner to mope or to
turn away in bitterness. It does not lose friends over them. It does
not give up. It never fails! When everything else has failed, true love
- .genuine goodwill and outgoing concern for others will still be going
strong.
Jesus Christ's
example while On the cross ,is the one we should strive to follow. He
said of all His scowling, bloodthirsty, hate filled tormentors,
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).
Can you still be
a friend to those who hate you? Can you still have goodwill toward
them? Can you still be concerned for their welfare?
You must, you know! And, you must come to have it habitually and consistently.
How to have True Love
If you want to
live and act in love and goodwill, go to the author of all that
is good. Ask Him prayerfully to give you this attitude and show you the
way. Expect Him to answer and to keep on, giving it
to you us long us you are trying to give up your old. self-centeredness
and striving to " live God's way".
Then
follow God's biblical instructions on how to behave
toward others in love and goodwill.-Live by the Laws of love.
Your selfish
human nature has always had its way in the past and will continue to
crop up so you must continue to resist self-will while you step out in
faith to do God's will. - "goodwill".
Like a baby's
first steps, your first attempts may not be very skillful. You may
stumble, you may even fall. But dust yourself off, ask forgiveness and
try sgain and again, until you habitually come to have goodwill - God's
will towards all people. .
Romans 13:8-9,
says: "Owe no man anything, except to love one another, for he who
loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandment, "You shall
not commit adultery.' 'You shall not murder' 'You shall not steal,'
'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there
is any other commandment, are all summed up in this
saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor, as yourself."
It takes work to
be, outgoing. You won't even think to do it without effort, and it
won't be successful even then if you don't stay close to God. This also
takes effort of will and energy.
Yet this love is
absolutely required God. It is a wonderful thing to have. No one will
enter His Kingdom without it (Matthew 25:3l-46).
Now is. The time
to "marshal your energy" to make certain you have God's great love.
Develop it and radiate it all the rest of your life. The time is short.
It is later than you think.
Reprinted from an article by Jack H. Elliott in the Jume 1984 Good News Magazine
