Jesus Christ: the ultimate Avenger (part 3)

Last but not least……

The Avengers are quite arguably the greatest collection of heroes in the comic book world— though I’m sure the X-men and Justice League would have something to say about this.

Collectively, they possess the intelligence, strength and ability to defend earth from the clutches of destruction. In the previous two posts, we examined four of the six heroes depicted in the film (there are more Avengers in the comic book series) who make this team what is: Hawkeye, Black Widow, Captain America and Thor.

That, of course, leaves us with two: the Incredible Hulk and Iron Man.

I have purposefully left these two characters for the last of these posts, namely because they are the most popular (I think) of The Avengers. Not only did popularity play a role, but also difficulty. These heroes presented the biggest challenge to drawing comparisons to our hero, Jesus Christ.

Though difficult, this task was certainly not impossible. At the very root, the Hulk (Bruce Banner) and Iron Man (Tony Stark) epitomize the team’s strength and intelligence. Both Banner and Stark work as the brains of the operation, drafted to use their expertise to locate the Tesseract. Additionally, these two do a lot of the heavy lifting on the battlefield, each demolishing their fair share of the invading Chitauri.

Jesus is certainly smarter that the average bear, as he confounded the doctors and lawyers of the Jewish faith even from his adolescence. His strength is evident in bearing all the burdens and infirmities of those to whom he ministered.

With this, then, let us examine Christ’s similarities and differences with these characters on an individual basis.

THE HULK

The green monster is probably the strongest force in the action-adventure universe. I have not seen anyone who can go toe-to-toe with his sheer strength and destructive power. Not only has he leveled opponents, but cities as well.

Much like the Hulk, and even aside from Jesus, there is a person in the Bible with striking similarities. When Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee to go to the region of the Gerasenes, they were confronted with a man who was demon-possessed.

Mark 5:3-4 describes this man, “This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.”

We learn from Jesus’ dialogue with the man that he was possessed by a demon named, Legion. The demon, however, says that “we are many.” From the language of Roman militarism, we know that “legion” was a designated term for a delegation of what could be as many as six thousand soldiers. The many demons that had entered him, then, combined to form the persona that would take over this helpless man.

We quickly learn from this account that as formidable and terrifying as “Legion” was, he was even more afraid of Jesus.

Verses six and seven of Mark 5 continue, “When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!”

Eventually, Jesus would send the army of demons into a herd of pigs, who rushed down a steep bank into the lake where they drowned.

Jesus was always willing to stand flat-footed against his enemies. If Legion is an example of this, the reason would certainly be that he exerted his authority over them. This was even this case with the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4)—satan himself.

In the film, the Hulk gets his opportunity to stand face-to-face with bad-guy Loki. Loki, refusing to be intimidated by the behemoth that dwarfs him in size, demonstratively proclaims his divinity. The Hulk then responds by snatching Loki in mid-rant and tosses him around like a rag doll, slamming him on the ground several times.

Jesus’ one-on-one encounter with his (and our) story’s main villain comes when he “was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). After forty days of tempting, during which Jesus ate nothing (fasted), the devil gives it one last shot.

Satan tempts Jesus three additional times, each falling in line with the model for temptation, “the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Jesus thwarts these attempts by quoting Scripture; “it is written” was his reply to the devil’s tactics. When he finally ran out of ammo, the Bible says that the devil “left him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:12).

Though satan did return to incite Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus, leading to his crucifixion, it would actually turn out for Jesus’ good and satan’s undoing—much like Loki turning Banner into an enraged Hulk resulted in his ultimate downfall.

Jesus says, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18).

The Hulk’s driving motivation was always his wrath. In fact, anger is the key to turning a modest scientist into the not-so-jolly green giant. Turning over cars, taking out helicopters and “smashing” bad guys are all the result of his wrath.

On the contrary, Jesus’ motivation was quenching the wrath of the Father, of which we were all deserving. Ephesians 2:3 reads, “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the craving of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”

Christ graphically bore this wrath for those who would come to believe on him:

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Because of Christ’s sacrificial act of love, Romans 5:9 is now our reality: “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”

IRON MAN

Iron Man is one of the more glamorous heroes in the Marvel universe. Though a noble protagonist, Tony Stark does have a bit of an ego.

Then again, who wouldn’t?

If I were in his shoes—had his money, success and a chance to be that close to Scarlet Johansen—I would be pretty full of myself. Added to this is the fact that Iron Man is one of the coolest superheroes ever!

As a result, he was not the most cooperative person. Throughout the movie, there is a progression in Stark’s character. When he first agrees to become a part of the Avengers initiative, we see him constantly doing his own thing.

He rebuffs Captain America’s council every time and even when seemingly committing to the team cause, he performs his task with a splash of bravado—like when he subdues Loki while in Europe.

The story line presents a road of obstacles and even tragedy, in the death of agent Coulson (Phil), that humble Stark into full acceptance of the team’s agenda. His change was so drastic that he looked to Captain America for orders in the critical battle scene of the film.

Surprisingly, Jesus also had to endure a process that would cultivate a solemn commitment to his team’s agenda—his team being heaven.

If you will recall, one of the most intense moments of Jesus’ life came on the night of his arrest, in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:42-44 details:

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

There came a point when Jesus, actually, desired what was contrary to the will of God. Matthew records that Jesus prayed this prayer three times, indicating the degree to which Jesus did not want to drink from the cup of God’s wrath (Isaiah 51:17).

Though he opposed it, Jesus would quickly get back on board with the plan of God. Hebrews 4:8-9 records, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”

The coolest part about Robert Downey Jr.’s character is not his wealth or wit, but his awesome suit of armor. To be sure, Iron Man, in the plainest sense, would not be who he is without the armor. Tony Stark is not a superhero until he is equipped with his high-tech personal arsenal.

Stark’s dependence on his armor is an echo of Jesus’ reliance on another factor aside from his own person—the Holy Spirit.

After Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit descends upon him and inaugurates his call to ministry. Jesus, then, was “full of the Holy Spirit” as he was led into the wilderness to be tempted.

He returned to Nazareth “in the power of the Spirit” before making a bold proclamation at a typical Sabbath-day worship service. He says, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

Jesus’ ability to do anything that he did, whether preaching, healing or performing any miracle, all came from the Holy Spirit. In much the same way as there is no Iron Man without the suit, there is no Jesus without the Spirit.

In fact, it was the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and guaranteed our salvation. Romans 8:11 reads, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”

Finally, in one of my favorite scenes in The Avengers, Tony Stark engages Loki in a conversation while in Stark tower. Tony proceeds to “threaten” Loki, calling roll on the short, yet impressive list of warriors that comprise the team.

While conversing, however, Stark says something that I found quite interesting. He says, “If we can’t defend the earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it.”

Stark’s expectations and those of Christ are on opposite ends of the spectrum. While Iron Man seems fairly confident in his team, he is not sure that they will actually win.

Jesus, though, had the utmost assurance of a successful mission. Luke 19:10 informs, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

The fact you (presumably) and I have bear the name “Christian” is evidence that his mission was a success. By confessing with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and believing in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we have laid hold to God’s gift of salvation (Romans 10:9).

This same salvation is available to anyone willing to follow this formula. For this reason, we do not call Christ our Avenger but our Savior.

Jesus Christ – the ultimate Avenger (part 2)

Just imagine the wreckage that Jesus would have left behind.

Heroes.

We all have them. We aspire to be like them. We look up to them and in some cases even idolize them.

To some, these figures may be as near as their own households. Others may see their heroes within their communities—policemen, firefighters, doctors, etc. Still, there are those who look to the media to mark their perfect man, and, to an even further degree, find their heroes in the realm of action-adventure.

The Avengers, then, offer a compelling place to look for heroes for those attracted to this vein. Many fans attended the film’s opening donning costumes, accessories and imitating their favorite characters, mesmerized by this group of comic book icons.

Though we all have heroes, what is it exactly that attracts us to them? What, essentially, is in a hero?

Well, Merriam-Webster offers four solid definitions of what it is to be a hero:

• A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
• An illustrious warrior
• A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
• One that shows great courage

When looking at these descriptions, I am reminded of two Avengers in particular: Captain America and Thor. Merriam-Webster describes both of these guys to the tee, as they collectively embody all the traits that are listed.

Upon further review, Jesus Christ, by his lonesome, fulfills these characteristics—he does not need any help.

As a result, this discussion will conduct a comparative analysis between these two fictional champions and our Lord and Savior.

CAPTAIN AMERICA

Ah…Captain America. Is there a superhero more noble and admirable as he? I mean, the guy is squeaky clean; he always seeks to do the right thing and is seldom in error when it comes to issues of morality and decision-making.

Who can top that?

You guessed it, Jesus can!

While Cap is extremely commendable (he even professed belief in one God in the film), he is far from perfect. In an exchange with Tony Stark (a.k.a. Iron Man), Captain Steve Rogers allows his pride to get the best of him, to the point where he and Stark (supposed to be on the same team, mind you) almost break into fisticuffs.

Christ, on the other hand, is in the most literal sense of the word, perfect. Speaking of Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Captain America, though less than perfect, was very trustworthy. This trustworthiness without a doubt is an extension of his uncompromising honesty.

One thing that Steve did not have a tolerance for was dishonesty. When Nick Fury lied about making weapons designed to harness the power of the Tesseract, the Captain was outraged.

He was not willing to ignore the truth; his commitment to truth fostered a responsibility to bring people to terms with harsh realities. For instance, in a pivotal moment in his relationship with Stark, Captain America addresses his selfishness and narcissism. He tells Tony, in a nutshell, not to claim to be a “hero” until he exemplifies qualities that are befitting of the title.

Jesus’ commitment to truth is evident. Not only is he full of truth (John 1:14) but also he is the personification of truth: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus always told the truth, and was willing to confront even his friends when in error.

After Jesus makes plain that he must be killed at the hands of the Jewish leaders and resurrected after three days, Peter rebukes him and denies these truths.

Jesus responds in Matthew 16:23, “Get behind me, satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

These were surely harsh words, but they were true. Peter was in direct opposition to the will of God, and that is not something to take lightly. One thing that Jesus does not make a habit of doing is sugarcoating the truth for the benefit of someone’s feelings. Additionally, Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

Because Jesus is willing to inflict us with the truth, we can certainly trust him. Though sometimes his words sting, when he makes a promise we can be sure of its fulfillment. The great thing about the Lord is that his word is his bond.

Numbers 23:19 records, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Captain America had a propensity for swooping in and saving the day. When Loki was about to vaporize an elderly gentleman, Cap flew in from seemingly out of nowhere to block the blast with his shield. He also saved a group of hostages towards the movie’s end, which included a woman who was especially grateful.

This paints a particularly vivid picture of an account in John’s gospel.

While Jesus was teaching, a group of Pharisees brought a woman to him who had been caught in adultery. Their intentions were to trap Jesus. Either they could claim he refused to follow the Law that commanded the stoning of such person, or accuse Jesus of usurping Roman rule by commanding that the Jews execute capital punishment—an exclusive right of the state.

Cleverly, Jesus responds, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7b). At this, the woman’s accusers (who were using her as a mere pawn) all disappeared. She escaped condemnation because of the heroics of Christ.

Even if the Jews, technically, could not stone her, other ways of emotional torture would have been her reality. Christ, however, delivers her from all of her tormentors.

Much the same, Christ always swoops in and saves our day: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

THOR

Thor definitely qualifies as a “mythological or legendary figure.” From the planet of Asgard, this Viking wields the power of thunder (and lightning). He has taken the self-imposed vocation of defending earth. Most importantly, Thor is established in this film as a demi-god.

Being the only person in the film who can go toe-to-toe with the Incredible Hulk, Thor’s “divine descent” is very much a point of emphasis. Upon his initial on-screen appearance, where he takes Loki from the custody Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America, there is mention made of his divinity.

Black Widow warns Captain America not to get involved in this family feud, commenting that Loki and Thor are “basically gods.” Captain Rogers’ rebuttal is, humorously, “There’s only one God, ma’am, and I’m sure he doesn’t dress like that.”

The Captain, once again, hit the nail right on the head. Deuteronomy 6:4 proclaims, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

Ephesians 4:4-6 further expounds on this truth:

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

The preceding passage opens up our understanding of the nature of our one God, in that he exists in three persons: Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus Christ, called “Lord,” is identified as the second person in this Trinitarian community.

While Thor may be a “demi-god,” Christ’s incarnation presented us with one who was both fully God and fully man. John famously records:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)

Though the Bible does substantiate the divinity of Jesus Christ, it goes out of its way to underscore his humanity. Hebrews 2:14 records, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

In the film, Thor plunges in from the sky with a fury of thunder and lightning to make his entrance into the earth. Much the same, Christ descended from above, coming to earth to fulfill his mission to save the world. Ephesians 4:8-10 records:

 This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

I’ve made mention of the fact that Thor holds the power of thunder, as he is literally called the “god of Thunder.” It is a major weapon in his arsenal, as he commands the elements to produce lighting with the power of his illustrious hammer.

Jesus’ power over the elements is made painstakingly clear in Matthew’s gospel. While he and the disciples were on a boat, a “furious storm” came upon them.

Somehow, Jesus managed to sleep through all of this (that is almost just as impressive as what ensues). The disciples, however, woke him up pleading for their lives. As a result, “He got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him’” (Matthew 8:26-27).

Though Thor had bulging biceps and commanded the heaviest hammer in the universe, he alone did not possess the power to defeat his enemy. On the contrary, Jesus uses the weak things of this world to shame the strong and achieved victory through the foolishness of the cross.

Colossians 2:14-15 informs, “[He cancelled] the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

Both Jesus and Thor had a mission of salvation, which had to be completed before they could return to their heavenly dwellings.

The writers of The Avengers assured us of a happy ending, allowing Thor to retrieve the Tesseract and use its power to return to Asgard with Loki under arrest.

Jesus Christ, however, took possession of the pen, himself, to assure our happy ending. Therefore, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus Christ: the ultimate Avenger (part 1)

There is one who is even mightier than they, whose sandals they are not worthy to untie.

What a movie!

Full of thrills, chills and explosive action, The Avengers has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of filmgoers across the globe—including me.

It was awesome to see this ensemble of heroes team-up, though with some trepidation, for the cause of saving the world from disaster.

Admittedly, I was stoked when I found out about the release of this film; it was the most excited I had ever been about a movie. As time inched closer to opening day, my excitement grew and I was all the more anxious to view this blockbuster.

When May 4 finally arrived, I actually saw the movie twice, once at midnight and at an 8 p.m. showing (in 3D). Afterwards, The Avengers was all I could talk about or even think about.

I could not help (and still can’t) feeling slightly convicted, however, that I showed this much excitement for a make-believe team of heroes when I cannot remember the last time I was as excited about my real-life hero: Jesus Christ.

Honestly, if I had displayed as much enthusiasm in telling others about Jesus as I did for telling others about how good this movie was, I think I could put Billy Graham to shame.

After watching the film, though, one thing that did come to mind was how much greater Jesus is than Marvel’s stellar cast of Earth’s guardians. Jesus, in so many ways, outshines The Avengers and, in him, we find the ultimate Avenger.

(I know, I know. It is a dead giveaway that Jesus is better than any superhero, with him being God and all, but humor me please.)

I often think about what would happen if Jesus were inserted into a movie. What always results is the realization that said movie would be short-lived.

This time around, I was a little more in-depth with my thinking. Sure, I did briefly ponder Jesus appearing and wiping out the invading alien army with one word. However, I began to think about the parallels between each character and Christ, and how he is specifically superior to each of them.

The following is a byproduct of this journey into creative deliberation.

 HAWKEYE

Hawkeye is the first of the Avengers to make an on-screen appearance in the film. He is a lethal archer with devastatingly pinpoint accuracy. (This guy actually took aim at Loki’s eyeball, while the villain was flying a hovercraft, and would have succeeded had the arrow not been caught—though it did explode.)

As on target as Hawkeye’s arrows are, he is still not as accurate as Jesus. Christ never missed when taking aim at future events. Every time Jesus made a statement depicting what was to come it was 100% accurate.

Consider Jesus’ entrance to Jerusalem for his last visit prior to his crucifixion. Luke 19:30-32 reads:

“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.

The same week, while making preparations to celebrate the Passover, Jesus makes another prediction:

“As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. (Luke 22:10-13)

Jesus’ decided advantage over Hawkeye is, surely, articulated by the disciples in John 16:30, “you know all things.” For this reason, Jesus (unlike Hawkeye) will never miss a target when aiming his words into the future.

This is of special importance to us because Jesus tells us, “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

As great of an asset that Hawkeye was to S.H.I.E.L.D., he was able to be turned against his allies by the dark magic of Loki, the film’s antagonist. He was otherwise loyal, but the unforeseeable circumstance of being brainwashed caused Hawkeye to switch his allegiance.

On the contrary, Jesus Christ will never turn against you—under any circumstance. Jesus’ own words to us are, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

His love and faithfulness are ever-enduring, even amidst our human inconsistencies.

Second Timothy 2:13 states, “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

Romans 8:38-39 reads, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Christ’s prophetic prowess and undying love make him a much more reliable option than our friend Hawkeye.

BLACK WIDOW

If nothing else in this movie made me happy, it was certainly seeing Scarlet Johansson play the role of secret agent Natasha Romanoff.  She was sultry and stunning as the Black Widow, while highlighting the character’s stealth and persuasiveness.

You could often find Black Widow using the element of surprise throughout the film. She snuck up on Loki while he was a prisoner on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s ship, on Hawkeye before their bout (also on the ship) and on Bruce Banner in attempting to recruit the jolly green scientist.

Similarly, Jesus also displays an element of surprise. In the most literal sense, Jesus stealthily appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, appearing in their midst though they had the doors locked for fear of the Jews (John 20:19).

He was full of surprises in many other ways as well.

At the start of his ministry, Jesus, while at the synagogue in Nazareth, read and applied a passage from Isaiah to himself:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

Not only did the attendees stare in disbelief, but were also “amazed.”

When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth to teach in the synagogue, the Bible says that they were again “amazed,” asking, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers” (Matthew 14:54)?

In John 6:56, Jesus shocks the congregation in attendance at synagogue, saying, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.”

Most certainly one of the most surprising incidents in the gospels is Jesus’ claim to divinity. He tells the Pharisees in John 8:58, “I tell you the truth . . . before Abraham was born, I AM!” (I AM, of course, is how God identifies himself to Moses at the burning bush.)

Even upon his return, Jesus will use the element of surprise. He tells us, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:40).

Not only was Christ surprising, he was also persuasive. He was a master conversationalist. Much like Black Widow, Christ would interrogate without really interrogating.

Her objective was always to acquire information. Jesus, on the other hand, always wanted his dialogues to end in revelation—where his counterpart is spiritually enlightened as to Christ’s identity.

For instance, in Matthew 16, Christ poses a question to his disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They respond with John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Jesus, then, brings it home, asking whom his disciples say he is. Peter answers the question that was posed to the group, saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). As a result, Jesus tells Peter that this exchange has ended in revelation from God the Father.

In a more deliberate scenario, Christ has an exchange with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.

After being refused a drink of water by the woman, Jesus engages her in a conversation that goes from water, to relationships, to worship and eventually finds its destination on Christ’s identity. John 4:25-26 reads:

The woman said, “I know that the Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”

The revelation that the woman had was so convincing that she evangelized her entire town, with many coming to believe in Jesus because of her testimony.

Jesus still has that affect on the human heart even today. He persuades us with his love to come into fellowship with him, and earnestly desires that we answer his call:

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Put your heart where your mouth is

Careless words are of ill-effect, but words from the heart reach the heart.

People say a lot of things.

We here promises made all the time. “I’m going to do this,” or, “When I get this, I’m going to do that.” Oftentimes, we find that these promises are quite empty.

I am sure we can all attest to having made an empty promise or two. In fact, we say things all the time that are truly devoid of meaning, without even giving it a thought.

Talking to a friend one time, she told me her philosophy of when people ask, “How are you?” She went on to tell me that she avoids asking this question, because when people pose it they do not really want a genuine answer; they really do not want to know how you actually are or have a conversation about your current issues. Instead, most times people just want to hear the very cliché, “I’m good, and how are you?”

My friend made a good point that day. I had to think about the times that I posed this question. Did I really want to hear about the problems of the people to whom I asked this question? If they were to start pouring out to me, what would be my response? Sympathy? Apathy?

In a larger sense, “How are you?” is just one of the many things we allow to escape our lips on a daily basis without any connection to our hearts. The most popular of these sayings has to be, “I love you.”

Over the last four posts, we discussed four characteristics of love: passionate, practical, persistent and preeminent. Saying you love someone, then, should result in these characteristics being made manifest in the context of the relationship.

In a very plain sense, we should not just throw these words around. Every time we say we love someone without giving it any kind of thought or really meaning it, the words themselves lose their meaning. Eventually, words reserved for intimacy and esteem become casual catchphrases.

This is especially the case when it comes these three words: “I love Jesus!”

Many people lay claim to this confession. From the “Religious Views” line on Facebook to t-shirts and other paraphernalia, “I love Jesus” has become a rather common occurrence. What is not as common, however, is actual love for Jesus—as Christ, himself, defines it.

Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). This is to say that what you value will determine where you place your affection, or what you truly care about. He adds later, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34b). Valuing Jesus and, thus, having our hearts hidden in him will result in a genuine expression of that love when we open our mouths.

When we talk about Jesus, we should always be giving a gesture of our love. We should never come to a point where we get so comfortable, that God’s greatness is an afterthought. Our evangelizing, singing, teaching and preaching are reflections of our love for Christ. Ultimately, though, we can effectively do these things and bear witness to our risen Lord because of the practicality of our confession.

We can truly evangelize if we live a life of servitude to Christ. Our singing is powerful if we live the lyrics to the songs we sing. Teaching is effective when the scriptures leap off the pages into the reality of our lives. Preaching is heartfelt and anointed after life’s experiences have facilitated an authentic encounter with God.

Our confession is displayed in its most practical sense, however, with our obedience.

In Luke 6:46, Jesus inquires, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I tell you?” If you confess Jesus as Lord then you should do what he says!

Jesus does not allow us to just carelessly throw words around. In fact, Proverbs 13:3 admonishes, “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”

Our words are a condition of our heart. In the case of Jesus, we treasure him so that he will take a place of preeminence in our hearts and that this priority will be evident when we open our mouths.

What starts with our mouths should end in loving obedience. Living a life that seeks to concretize the term, “I love Jesus,” will, in turn, allow us to experience Christ’s love. John 15:9-11 reads:

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Love is…preeminent

Jesus seems to place a lot of emphasis on love, but where is love on our list of priorities?

Meditating on love has made me realize how important it truly is.

As the years pass, loving relationships accrue value and eventually become a premium. Life does, however, find creative ways to draw our attention to things seemingly more important (career, money, success, etc.), but ultimately less pertinent. Realizing how short our days are, with death serving a jarring reminder, normally allows us to refocus our perspectives on these relationships.

These bonds are formed in the bosom of love; it is only through love that we are able to maintain or place any value on the relationships that we have. Making our covenant connections a top priority thus places love at the summit of our lives as well.

Love, however, is a way of living, as the Bible exhorts us to “live a life of love” (Ephesians 5:2); it is not a merely sporadic emotion displayed towards a friend, family member or a mate.

Living lives of love assure us that we are building our existence on something that will last. Solomon writes in his song, “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned” (8:7).

Love is everlasting and invaluable much like its creator—God almighty. God is love (1 John 4:8), and, as a result, our ability, capacity and desire to love all come from him (1 John 4:7).

Paul’s instruction to “be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1) means dedicating ourselves to reflecting and perfecting this divine attribute. The place of love in our lives is, thus, preeminent.

WHY IS LOVE IMPORTANT?

Being a people of love is the highest task that we have been assigned by God. In his goodness, though, God has provided us with a point of reference to be able to identify what love looks like. Ephesians 1:4b-7 reads:

In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, In accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

The preceding passage shows us that God’s love prompted him to do many things.  There is always a huge emphasis on God’s love as displayed by Jesus’ sacrificial act on the cross, and rightfully so, but this text broadens the horizons of Calvary in view of God’s eternal plan.

First, we were predestined. God knew about us millennia before our entrance into this world and loved us from the moment we were conceived in his mind. Not only so, but he looked down the corridors of time, past the rebellion and fall of man, and devised a plan to bring us into his family—a plan that was centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Going through this trouble pleased God, that his desire to be in fellowship with his creation would be fulfilled. Without requiring anything of us, he gave us his beloved sacrificial lamb, that through his shed blood our sins would be forgiven. Now, the abundance of grace that God possesses is accessible to every believer (Hebrews 4:16).

The same love that motivated God to do all those great things is one that has an eternal hold on us. Romans 8:38-39 states:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If for no other reason, love is of the utmost importance because God’s love for us solidifies our eternal security. It also highlights God’s commitment to mercifully look past our faults as we undergo the process of being “conformed to the likeness of his Son” (Romans 8:29). Proverbs 10:12b says, “Love covers all wrongs.”

HOW ARE WE TO LOVE?

In view of God’s mercy and because of his great love (Romans 12:1; 1 John 4:19), we are then spurred on to live our lives loving him—this is called worship.

Though worship involves sacrifice (of time, resources and the fruit of our lips), God makes it clear that he prefers obedience (1 Samuel 15:22). Consequently, 1 John 5:3a informs, “This is love for God: to obey his commands.”

Jesus tells us that all of his commands, essentially, hinge on the two most important. He states:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37-40)

Our relationship with God, as our most important relationship, is to take precedence in our lives. God desires that we give him our total selves, that our hearts would meditate on him (Psalm 19:14), our souls would boast in him (Psalm 34:2) and our minds would be set on glorifying him (1 Corinthians 14:15).

The second greatest commandment is where it gets interesting. Loving a perfect God is one thing, but loving a sinful human being? Who could do such a thing? Yet God’s rebuttal to this is, “For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:19).

Not only must we love our neighbors, but also we must do so as doing unto ourselves. Paul writes, “After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds it and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church” (Ephesians 6:29).

Because we are by nature selfish and consumed with our own cares, commanding us to simply “love your neighbor” would not be sufficient. Each time you view another person, God says, it is to be as if you are looking in the mirror. This way, we will be inclined to see ourselves in our neighbors’ position, which should prompt us to act genuinely and with great care on their behalf.

This is especially necessary when it comes to forgiveness.

Transgression is no respecter of persons. It will come to test our relationships and the integrity of our hearts.

Walking with a mirror, however, and seeing ourselves (and our past mistakes) in the other person’s position will facilitate the compassion that leads to forgiveness and allows us to remain in love. Proverbs 17:9 says, “He who covers an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”

It might be unfortunate to note, but the “neighbors” Jesus commanded us to love are inclusive of our enemies—not only people who may despise us, but that we despise in return.

Matthew 5:43-44 reads, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

God’s standard for love may be high, but it is not one that he himself does not meet.

Jesus is a picture of this on the cross, where he prays for his persecutors (Luke 23:34). Paul tells us that while we were in our sins—by definition hostile to God—and deserving of his wrath, God made us alive with Christ (Romans 8:7; Ephesians 2:1-5).

We should all pray for strength to imitate God in this way. Learning to love our enemies by praying for them and treating them as ourselves will make for tremendous spiritual vitality, as well as living a life of peace.

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF LOVELESSNESS?

Love’s importance is further highlighted by the byproducts of its absence. The absence of love quite obviously opens the door for its counterpart—hatred.

Effectually, Leviticus 19:18 states, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

When love is not exalted, and we do not consider ourselves when we encounter offense, vengeance and bitterness begin to surface. Not only does this not make for peaceful living, but it affects our spiritual, physical and emotional health.

As member of Christ’s body, this bitterness takes on more than a personal toll—it affects the other members. Hebrews 12:15 states, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Christians are enjoined as many parts of the same body. Paul tells us, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor. 12:26).

Christ’s desire is that the parts of his body grow strong and help to build one another, not tear one another down. Ephesians 4:15-16 reads:

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The work that is required of the members of Christ’s body is serving one another in love. The only way for us to be able to grow together is to speak the truth in love. This would certainly include having the maturity to not allow offense to linger, but lovingly seeking to resolve issues.

If we do not display this maturity and are slack in our service to one another, then the exact opposite happens.

Galatians 5:14-15 admonishes, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

The path devoid of love is one that will end in destruction. In a world where war, genocide and senseless killings exist—some right in our own backyard—we need to pursue the way of peace, which can only be achieved through love.

The violence in our world is a sad reality, but what is more tragic is an unloving Christian. The gospel, the good news of God’s love for us, can only truly be spread when the rest of the world sees the evidence of it in how we treat one another.

Jesus declares, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

BENEFITS?

On the most basic level, we are to love because God instructs us to do so. There are, however, benefits to living a life of love. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 reads:

And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Following the way of love is for our own benefit. Besides God’s many promises for those who love him and walk according to his ways, living a life of love satisfies us in ways that no career accomplishment or milestone ever could.

Remaining in the love of God is a privilege, and we do this by obeying him (John 15:9-12). God gives us a great opportunity to demonstrate our love for him by loving others.

The lives we live in this earthly tent are merely in preparation for our heavenly dwelling. God promises, though, that continuing in love will yield an eternal reward:

Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12/GWT)

 

Love is…persistent

God's perpetual pursuit of us shows the enduring nature of love, which we are to display towards one another.

In order to love on an interpersonal level, we have to understand how to love by exhibiting our Creator. God is love (1 John 4:8), and as his worshipers, we should seek to reflect him in every possible way.

Fittingly, Ephesians 5:1-2 reads, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

The God kind of love (I mean, what other kind is there) is persistent. This love is characterized throughout the Scriptures by the use of the Hebrew word “hesed,” meaning “steadfast” or “unfailing” love.

David describes this love in Psalm 23:6, stating, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life” (NLT).

From the beginning of time, God has pursued humankind by entering into covenant—a solemn agreement to engage in or refrain from a specified action. From Adam all the way to us, God has used this method. Among the notable Biblical covenants is the covenant God makes with Israel, mediated by Moses, where God gives the law on Mount Sinai.

Presently, God has pursued us with a covenant as well. This is God’s last covenant, a final offer if you will.

Hebrews 9:15 reads, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

In God’s New Testament, or new covenant, the conditions are clearly outlined: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). This agreement requires a profession of faith (and subsequent obedience) from the believer, in which God responds with justification, salvation and eternal life.

God’s use of covenant is not merely some legally binding contract, but a sincere effort to engage his creation on a relational level and enter into loving fellowship. In fact, the covenant relationship that Christians have with Jesus is that of husband and wife.

Ephesians 5:23 states, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”

The Old Testament places the relationship between God and Israel in view of marriage as well. Israel, however, was totally unfaithful to God. Her infidelity grieved God to the point of rejection, and he uses the prophet Hosea to announce his utter disappointment.

The book of Hosea is one that highlights the promiscuity of the nation of Israel. God allows his mouthpiece to partake in his distress, commanding Hosea to take an adulterous wife (Gomer) at the beginning of his ministry, so that the preacher would not be disconnected from his message.

Hosea’s wayward wife and unfaithful children (examined in the first three chapters) would, in turn, serve as a metaphor for God’s turbulent relationship with his bride.

Chapter two of Hosea really is the “meat” of this account, as God partakes in a long and emotional discourse regarding his companion. The Lord begins with rather harsh words, in which one can sense his feelings of rejection and scorn.

In Hosea 2:2a, God says, “Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband.”

Israel, through her adultery, had broken her marital bonds with Jehovah, and he was sure to let her know about it. God, however, only intends to chasten Israel and not divorce her. In fact, in spite of her habitual transgression, God’s sole desire is to love her and be in unbroken fellowship.

God will not allow the sins of Israel to go unpunished, though, and he articulates this in Hosea 2:13. He says, “‘I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about me,’ says the LORD” (NLT).

Anger turns into compassion, however, in only a matter of a verse!

Hosea 2:14-16 continues:

“But then I will win her back once again, I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. 15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. 16 When that day comes,” says the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’” (NLT)

God’s desire is not to remain angry, but to demonstrate his great love. Psalm 30:5a says, “For his anger lasts only for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime.” Forgiveness is extended to anyone who will genuinely ask for it, as “the Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion” (Numbers 14:18a).

What, then, hinders one from receiving God’s forgiveness? Though God promised that his relationship with Israel would eventually be restored, that certainly would be in the distant future. Why did it take so long for this restitution to occur?

David’s words in Psalm 66 are actually a fitting commentary on this matter. He writes:

Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. 17 For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. 18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. 20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me. (NLT)

David says that though he cried out to God, praised him and prayed to him, it would have been ignored had not he confessed his sin. From this we can conclude that failure to admit guilt is paralyzing to reconciliation. When someone is wrong—knowingly wrong—and refuses to confess their transgression, we tend to identify that as pride.

Pride will get you nowhere in a hurry with God. First Peter 5:5 clearly states, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Israel was full of pride. For this reason, God, himself, would humble her for the sake of their relationship.

Hosea 5:14-15 reads, “For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. 15 Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me.”

Israel’s repentance would allow the bride and groom to, in a sense, renew their vows. God recites to Israel in Hosea 2:19-20:

I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. 20 I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD. (NLT)

The word “finally” indicates that God was in pursuit and that he has captured the object of his chase, the heart of his bride. God, after all that chasing, struggling and striving has finally pinned his lover into submission of his love.

Sound familiar?

God stepped through 42 generations to be born of a virgin and reconcile us to himself by dying on the cross; we did not choose him, but he chose us (John 15:16).

As a sort of last note, God tells Hosea to emulate his love by reconciling with his wife, who committed adultery:

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” (Hosea 3:1)

Much like Hosea, the Lord implores us to display his kind of love in our personal relationships. Persistent love requires forgiveness—not ignoring transgression for the sake of relationship, but dealing healthily with instances of offense when they arise.

Luke 17:3-4 states, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Love is tested by transgression. This is why humility and compassion are needed in any healthy relationship. Jesus Christ is the picture of both of these, humbling himself to the cross (Philippians 2:8) and offering forgiveness for the guilty (Acts 13:38).

Love is persistent, and those who walk in it will do what is necessary for the health of their relationships.

Love is…practical

Love is easier to understand once it is worked out.

When we think of love, it seems like this distant, abstract term.

Our perception of love is often lofty and mystical, as portrayed by love stories told on television, film and in many novels. Standing on the ground and reaching for the clouds—in no doubt an effort to find “cloud nine”—is synonymous with the act of defining love.

Why is it so hard?

Well, it is likely that many of our definitions are not based on the standard authority on love: God’s Word! What better place to turn than to the advice of the one who literally is love (1 John 4:8)?

I do not mean that God is an expert on love, though he is that. Or that God received a PhD in “Love-ology,” though he probably has one of those. God, literally, is love! Love is able to exist solely because it is God’s nature.

So, with God being the author of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21), we would be remiss not to look “intently into the perfect law that gives freedom” (James 1:25) to understand this term.

From observing the Word of God, one will quickly discover that love is not abstract at all. On the contrary, the love that God requires is very “practical.”

In a humorous twist of irony, the God who we have never seen tells us that love is to be visible, and very much so.

The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the church at Corinth, was well aware of this truth. He writes, “Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it” (2 Corinthians 8:24).

Here, Paul is encouraging the Corinthian believers to provide the evidence of their love. We know, then, from this text that love is something to be displayed, but how do we display it?

John’ first epistle, appropriately, gives us a three-fold answer to this question.

The book of 1 John is one that is overwhelmed with the notion of love, with the word itself appearing 33 times! In the third chapter, John focuses on how to express this love in our interpersonal relationships. First John 3:16-18 reads:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

SELF-SACRIFICING

The first thing that we are told from this passage is that love is self-sacrificing (v. 16). Of course, our illustration is the ultimate example of selflessness: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Not only is he the illustration, but also the basis of love, as to recognize Jesus’ act of redemption is to have true knowledge of what love is. Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Because of this act, we have been given a gift—the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39). The Spirit’s indwelling presence allows us to live the Christian life, at the root of which is love. Romans 5:5b says, “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Now that God has given us the ability to love, we are to follow Christ’s example in demonstration. Jesus makes it no secret that he requires this commitment, saying, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).

John’s readers, to be understood, were faced with immensely more threatening circumstances than what we can comprehend today. Being a Christian was condemnable to death, and Rome was known to use torture as a ploy to attain information on other Christians.

In the Western world, this is not our reality (though there are those, today, who are still persecuted for his namesake). We still, though, can follow Christ’s example in being self-sacrificing.

Jesus says of his own mission, “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

The Lord’s example of self-sacrifice is not just giving his life in death, but in yielding his life while living! As followers of Christ, we should seek to love as Jesus did.

He would often do things that he most likely did not feel like doing, but was glad to do. This certainly included healing all the sick and demon-possessed of Capernaum at nightfall, after teaching in the synagogue during the day, while staying as a guest at Simon and Andrew’s house (Mark 1:29-34).

We have to ask ourselves, “Are we really serving the one’s that we say we love?” Are we truly sacrificing of ourselves to those we care about the most?

GENEROUS

Most times, we can answer these questions by our willingness to give from our sustenance. To reiterate, 1 John 3:17 reads, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

The looseness of our purse strings is a telling indicator of our love. Jesus, to this effect, says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

This brings us back to the Corinthian church. Paul, while trying to raise a collection for the believers in Jerusalem, encourages the Corinthians to express the same zeal they had for giving previously (2 Corinthians 8:10). He writes:

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)

The Corinthians, as a church, had a lot going for them. They obviously were a church of significant means (2 Cor. 8:14), flowing in the spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12), full of faith and knowledge. What Paul was offering them was a chance to put their love on display.

Their willingness to give would, in turn, test the “sincerity” of their love, in which Paul said the church excelled. This is why he says that he was not issuing a command. Giving under compulsion is not an act of generosity, but duty, and is not prompted by love.

Second Corinthians 9:7 states, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Our motivation for giving should always be our heart. It is not so much about the amount as it is the desire to give. Second Corinthians 8:12 says, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”

EXPRESSIVE

Our desire to do something should never remain as such, but should manifest itself into an expression of that desire. First John 3:18 reminds us, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

Simply saying “I love you” or offering someone flattering words may seem nice, but true love expresses itself. James gives his commentary on loving with mere words:

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15-16)

Love is something we are supposed to approach with the attitude of, “I can show you better than I can tell you.” What kind of sense does it make to constantly tell someone that you love him or her and never do anything to show it? If the only thing that they have to go by is your words, that testimony will not hold any weight.

Even Jesus, though he proclaimed the words of God (John 3:34), still produced actions that confirmed what he was saying (John 14:10-11). We, even more so, should be eager to affirm what we say by the things that we do!

These things do not have to be grand either. A simple gesture can sometimes be the evidence of great love.

After having just moved into my first apartment, and not having much of anything, a good friend of mine surprised me by buying me an air mattress! It is quite possibly one of the best gifts I have ever been given, though it was not super-expensive. I could go on and on with similar stories, but I am sure the picture is painted.

Love is not too difficult to understand. It is, however, difficult for us to truly express the love that God requires us to give. After all, love, in essence, is not about self, but is about the object of one’s affection.

In the case of God, our love relationship with him means that it is not about us, but it is all about him. Loving God require that we obey his commands, which are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

After creating me, saving me and providing for me, how could I not love a God like him?

I am sure you share my sentiments. After all, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).