By Our Love

Love.  You cannot turn on the radio without hearing a song about it.  One of the songs that echo in my ears from my childhood church says, “We are one in the Spirit.  We are one in the Lord.  We are one in the Spirit.  We are one in the Lord.  And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.  And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.  Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”  I remember singing this song while playing outside.  It had a catchy tune that was great for my skipping.  At that time, I could not even begin to comprehend the kind of love that song talks about.

Although I have heard about love in its many splendid forms throughout the years, lately I have been flooded with Biblical teaching about love.  This entire quarter of our Sunday School lessons is centered around love.  Love between family members, love for the world, and that God love—that agape love.  The Bible study that I am completing with friends took an entire week exploring love.  We moved from that passionate love, to the brotherly love, and finally settled in that agape love.  Love, love, love.

Clearly, the good Lord knows that I need to grasp this important concept.  I am quite sure that I am not alone.  I am most comfortable thinking of the love between friends, family, and lovers.  That agape love—that God love—is next level.  That love is not about a feeling.  That love is all about demonstration.  Whether the person is kind or rude.  Lost or saved.  It is an all-encompassing love.  No man left behind kind of love.  And let me be frank.  I struggle to exhibit this kind of love.

I am guilty of judging.  I can be found trying to get the last word in or averting my eyes when I see someone coming my way that looks like they may be about to beg.  I do not always monitor my tone of voice when speaking to others.  I may not give when I feel the Holy Spirit telling me to give.  I may sit silently when I know that someone needs to be affirmed.  I let my feelings rule my actions and say that maybe I’ll agape people another day.

But that song from my childhood church has been getting louder inside of me every day.  I am identified as a child of God by my love.  Not by my church membership.  Or my blog writing.  Not by the “blessed” signs that adorn my home.  Not by the cross I sometimes wear around my neck.  The agape love requires me yielding to the Holy Spirit every day and in every way.  The Holy Spirit is the only way I will ever be able to even come close to agape.

I challenge you, and myself, to be intentional about loving all people.  ALL people.  Listen, I know that is a tough ask.  Especially in the year of our Lord 2020 with all the mess that is going on right now.  Especially when my flesh is screaming, “No!!!”  I have shared before that I use confirmation to help me know God’s voice, and this love thing is everywhere that I turn around.  Although I want to hide from it, the good Lord will not let me.  Child, just keep praying that I can be identified by my love.  #wepreach