Hold Up Wait A Minute

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become 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. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…”

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (a)

Biblical love is not a noun, it’s a verb, expressed through acts of kindness and service towards God and others. God’s love is best demonstrated when it is lavished on people who the world would think least deserve it. For example, the bible teaches us that God’s greatest demonstration of love was the Cross of Calvary where He gave His Only Son in the place of His enemies, namely me and you. That’s right, the highest form of love was shown to the very people who deserved it least, mankind. Jesus was killed by the very people who He came to save, and the amazing thing about His love, Jesus knew in advance what we would do to Him and He still died for us. Now that is love.

It was William Shakespeare who once said, “Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better” and Romans 5:6-10 puts it into perspective for us when the apostle penned these words, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

There is no question, biblical love is so radically different than anything the world knows of. To give expecting nothing in return, blessing even those who curse you and spitefully use you is not a prescription for abundant life that many comprehend but it’s exactly the kind of love God has shown the world in Christ and is the love that the Father says will earmark those who love God and are born of God.

To take your goods and to distribute them to the poor and then to reach out to guilty men and women in prison and go and visit them there aren’t on many of our “to do lists” today but all these activities filled the day of our Savior when He walked this earth. You see, loved one, every bible story is a picture of me and you. Jesus came to save sinners, people just like me and you. Jesus came to set the captives free, people just like me and you. Jesus came to give sight to the blind and to satisfy the hunger of every starving person. Yes, you and I were blind to the truth of God’s love until He opened our eyes. We were starving for love and acceptance and forgiveness that Jesus provided.

God’s love changes everything for God is love and those who know God and are born of God have that love in them just looking for opportunity to show it. 1 John 3:16-18 says it best, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” Yes, loved one, God’s love is an action word!

1 John 4:7-11 goes on to say, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

A song comes to mind by the musical group ‘Family Force 5’ called, “Love Addict” that I had pounded into my body sitting in the front row of a concert they performed. The song has a very catchy line in it that serves as a great reminder for everything you and I say and do today. The song chorus repeats over and over again, “Hold up, wait a minute, put a little love in it”. That’s it, that’s how you and I can reflect Jesus in our day today. Before you do anything… “Hold up wait a minute, put a little love in it.”

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

James 1:27

I LOVE YOU!