How To Love More


“We love Him because He first loved us.”


1 John 4:19


Here’s a news flash: proud people can’t love nearly as much as a humble person can for the simple reason being, “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.” Think about it for a moment today. When you and I are unloving it’s often times because of our pride. We are mad at someone or we have had our feelings hurt and so we withhold expressing love to others. It’s our way of getting back at them. One of the most subtle marks of human pride is the need to be in control. Not self control which is a fruit of God’s Spirit, but rather being in control, which is the anthesis of humility.

Here is something to ponder today, love is a result of forgiveness. In other words, we don’t love other people because we are so forgiving. The Bible tells us that when we are loving its because we have been forgiven. You recall the story of the woman in Luke 7 who comes uninvited to a dinner Jesus was attending in the house of a Pharisee. As Jesus sat eating the woman began to wash Jesus feet with her tears. The Pharisee thought to himself that if only Jesus knew who it was, what kind of woman was sitting at His feet that Jesus would have been as disgusted with her as the Pharisee was. Jesus knowing what the Pharisee was thinking responded, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”


Did you get that? Jesus said she loved much because she had been forgiven much. True love is a result of forgiveness. The ones you love the deepest are the ones who have forgiven you the most. Remember how it was on the day you were Born Again. If you are like me at all you felt so much love because you experienced God’s forgiveness. It only makes sense then that no one loves us like Jesus loves us! Are you lacking in love today? If so, come to Jesus, revisit the Cross and remember a fresh that Jesus died for you, that is the proof of His love… forgiveness.

“He who covers a transgression seeks love”

Proverbs 17:9



I LOVE YOU!


Michael Osthimer

Recent

Archive

Categories

no categories

Tags

no tags