WEEK FOUR: UNTIL HELL STOPS HATING

Dionne Warwick once sang, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there is just too little of.”  LOVE! It is a word that is universally used to describe what the world should be, but so often this is not what the world really displays or even aspires to. We love the notion of love, but when it costs us something more than we are willing to give, we can quickly throw it aside as if it matters little. So the question becomes, who do you love? Or maybe better, who do you have a hard time loving?

God’s story for us is nothing if it is not a love story. “God so loved the world…” “God is love…” “But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much…” The quotes could go on and on. We read these and we like getting that warm, fuzzy feeling it brings to know that God loves us so much, but does it make a difference in how we act or treat others?

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment was to love God and then to love people, but do we? Does our relationship with God reflect in our love for people, especially those we may find it hard to love? In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that there is a sharp line between the love we are used to and the love of heaven. “If you only love the lovable, you’re no different than the world around you.” (Matthew 5:45) He was saying that even those far away from God can love people who love them, but we are called to something bigger. We are called to Kingdom love, and that love is sacrificial and active. That love breaks down walls and opens doors to people’s lives and hearts. That love gives us the opportunity to share and show God’s love to others and that’s what brings the kingdom of heaven to Earth. 

This love is not a call to be perfect. It is not a call to show that we are somehow better than someone else. It is on purpose, and it serves a purpose. When we serve with joy, generosity, and unity, God’s love is best reflected and demonstrated to those around us. So where is God asking you to shine his love to someone else? Where can you serve? Where can you give? It is not our option; it is our opportunity. That’s how we mirror the Father’s excellence.