Decide to Love

Matthew 5:46-47 “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”
 
MOST of us view love as an emotion that develops in our relationships with particular people. We “fall in love” in a romantic relationship. And we naturally love our children and siblings. We come to love people who are friends with whom we share similar experiences. Love is most commonly viewed as an emotional response to people who honor and love us. As Jesus teaches, “Do not even the pagans do that?” he refers to this natural, emotional and relational love most people generally experience at some point in their lives.
   Jesus then teaches that a God-centered love is much more than feelings. Jesus preaches a personal, active love that initiates a true change in another. This God-based love is a supernatural love. It is a holy love that flows only from the spring of new life we receive in the Holy Spirit. Paul expanded on this when he wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Galatians 5:22) and taught that Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4) These points helps us understand Jesus’ sermon point. Love is a spiritual gift of unique power. God’s love – or agape love as it is known - enables us to love as God loves us. With patient, kind, humble love from the Holy Spirit, we love those the world calls “unlovable”. We resist our own comforts to comfort the broken and weary. Our hearts are open to help and forgive.
   Jesus lived into this love throughout his life and especially the day he died. On Jesus’ final evening with his disciples before he was crucified, John 14-17 records a grand outpouring of Jesus’ love for his disciples. He declared his ministry on earth and the disciples’ mission to come was built on the supernatural, holy love of God: John 15:9 “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. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” 
   As the Spirit awakens our minds to understand Jesus’ incomparable love, we begin to know God’s love. Seeing the world and our lives through Jesus’ love teaches us why he has counted us worthy to save us from sin. In his love, we are made worthy to receive new life and the spiritual gift to love others.
   Jesus-like love is a decision to live into Jesus’ love commands. We decide on each action of our lives, including what we think. Decide, then, to love. Let’s change our tendency to judge and criticize into a habit to love. Life is so much better that way. It is God’s gift. Receive it and live it because “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
 
1 John 3:16 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.