Only Love Can

"Love..is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or does not count up wrongdoing..”

1 Corinthians 13:5

We want change. Well, it starts with love.

The need for change is obvious. The country is saturated with hurt, fear, anger, bitterness,..

And the answer seems to be universally understood: love. Appropriate considering that God IS love (1 John 4:7-8).

Martin Luther King said it best when he recognized the universal need for love in his famous quote “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

So, while we may be in agreement that love is the answer, are you practicing it? What does love REALLY look like? And please believe I’m speaking to myself as much as anyone else.

Our culture does not promote love. It promotes self-love, justification, self-gratification, retribution, vindication, retaliation, in essence dissention -- an eye for an eye; get yours!; may the best man win..until YOU win and then I’ll cry unfair and celebrate your missteps and failures; you do you because it’s all love..until you step on my toes and then we’re going to rumble; you have a right to your feelings..until they offend me and then my feelings are greater than yours; believe what you want..but if I don’t agree I reserve the right to slander you; make something of yourself-reach for your dreams!..until you get a little too successful and then I’m going to be embittered by your success, convince myself and others that you’re undeserving, and/or expect my cut.

Why is it that the loudest voices seem to be the most polarizing? Do not mistake silence for being in agreement. It is more so the response to being ridiculed for your opinion.

No one enjoys being labeled or on the receiving end of a snap-judgement. Sometimes, these assumptions are true. Sometimes not. Just let me encourage you that if you are claiming Christianity as your faith to BE SURE you ARE walking in Biblical truth. And according to Jesus, to love is number ONE and TWO.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

So WHAT IS LOVE. The Bible unpacks it a little in 1 Corinthians 13, explaining what love looks like in action.

• Patient

• Kind

• Does not envy

• Does not boast

• Is not arrogant

• Is not rude

• Does not insist on its own way

• Is not irritable

• Is not resentful

• Does not rejoice at wrongdoing

• Rejoices with truth

• Bears all things

• Believes all things

• Hopes all things

• Endures all things

"BEARS ALL THINGS"

This means love does not make exceptions, or have qualifications or limitations.

Love..but only when someone agrees with me. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only when they love me too. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if we’re alike. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they’re nice to me. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they say the right thing. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they support my cause. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they don’t embarrass me. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they like/dislike the same people I do. Nope. That's not real love.

Love..but only if they are a good person. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they don’t offend me. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but only if they hear me out. Nope. That’s not real love.

Love..but I can still THINK negative thoughts. Nope. That’s not real love.

Superficial or partial love is not going to change anything.

Are we going to love perfectly? No. Are you going to ever achieve a perfect world? Nope. It is not possible. We live in a fallen world and it fell because Eve thought of herself first; she put herself first. A human trait--a human weakness--Satan knew exactly how to persuade her to bring about destruction, dissension, dissatisfaction,..and he’s up to the same tricks. We’re not going to love perfectly. We’re going to fail. It’s important to recognize our imperfection, to own it, grow from it, make adjustments, and keep choosing, striving, to walk in God’s love, i.e. the only perfect love.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines love as this: “unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the good of another.” Essentially thinking of others, putting them first, before ourselves, despite the circumstances; no qualifying factors.

So I ask again, are you walking in love? I’m speaking to myself as much as anyone else. We often use a disagreement in opinion, TAKING offense, hurt feelings, hurt pride, which all translates to putting ourselves above someone else, as a license to ostracize and/or slander someone or whole groups of people. This does not mean you have to be a doormat. Speak truth. Set up your healthy boundaries, yes. But do it within the bounds of love.

You want to change the world? It starts with you and me. It starts with the dialogue we allow to play in our minds and hearts. It starts with impartial love.