if you have love for one another."

John 13:35 (NAS)

 

                "Yes. I'm prejudiced. I find a certain type of people hard to accept."

"If you had been hurt as deeply as I was, you'd find it difficult to love, too."

"I like my world the way it is – private. What I don't need is a lot of people loving

 on me and expecting me to love them back!"

"Our family was just not a loving family! It's in my background."

 

There are many references in our Bible about how important it is for us to love others. I Corinthians 13, called the 'love' chapter, pretty well sums up the importance of loving. In no uncertain terms this chapter informs us that unless love is our motivation, our goal, our lifestyle, our passion, the driving force within us, we're spinning our wheels expecting things to "turn out right." We can even "give our bodies to be burned" (and that's the epitome!) but if that death contract doesn't come from love, it's nothing.

A lot of us would fall into one of the slots above defying the call to love because of our rearing, our life experiences, our human frailties, or our personal need for some sense of privacy. And some would go so far as to say "I've read those love verses and interpret them to mean I am to love 'indiscriminately' and that is impossible for me and I'd venture to say impossible for most people." You're right. God knows us and our 'hang-ups' better than we know them, so He takes care of that impossible command flashing on and off in front of us'LOVE OTHERS, LOVE OTHERS, LOVE OTHERS. How? By "planting His love inside us"!

Romans 5:5 … the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Read that again.)

Colossians 1:8 … and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

1Thessalonians 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

Not only does He implant His love within us, He further tells us: For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

So He gives us an impossible directive, but just as we say, "No way can I do that!

He says, "No problem. I live within you and will love through you –if you will only let Me."

* * * **

            Lord, there are some people in my life that make loving awfully hard to do. I try – and I guess that's the problem. "I" try. I'm not supposed to try, am I? I'm supposed to step back, look at You and say, "I can't do this, Lord Jesus. You're going to have to do it for me." When will I learn? I feel defeated. Guilty. Like a failure. Selfish. Uncompassionate. All of those "feelings" are very real to me, but they are not pointing out things about the "real me." You, Lord, are the Reality in my life and I must remember who You say that I am. It's hard to always remember, but You know that, too, don't You? Thank You for loving me.