Where has all the Love Gone?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Apostle Paul was very frank in his letter to the Corinthian church. He was clearly stating that they could have many talents and gifts, but if they do not  have love, then they have nothing. In many churches today, the gifts of the Spirit are emphasized. But gifts without the fruit of the Spirit outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 can be dangerous. Many people have been hurt in church because gifts of the Spirit were exercised without  love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Might I add that you don’t have one or the other, but all make the fruit of the Spirit. Although, love is mentioned before, and we know that 1 Corinthians 13:13 states of faith, hope and love, love is the greatest.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11

Really, the basics of Christianity is love God and love people. If we are not showing love, then we are not demonstrating that we are submitted to Christ  and that we are loving God. People will know us as Christians by our love. It cannot be only with words, but it needs to be in action and in truth. That means pretending to love someone does not count in God’s eyes. And truthfully, loving God’s way is not always easy. We need His Holy Spirit to do so, especially when He expects us to love our enemies.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Matthew 5:43-48

Can you imagine that Jesus Himself told His followers to do good to those who hate them? This was a command and not a suggestion. These days, I am shocked by what I see on social media. Christians are spewing so much hate, when this is not of God. We can’t just love those who believe in our doctrines, bless those who give us what we want, do good to those who agree with us and pray for those who encourage us. If we do this then we will have no reward from the Father because this is what the world does. As children of God, if we love Him we will do as He commands and love one another no matter where the person is from, how they look or what their background and beliefs are. God will not make a deal with us about who we can and cannot love. We are to love everyone, and He has told us in His Word how we are to love.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

This passage seems to be trite for a lot of people as it has been used in many sermons and weddings. So many Christians can repeat this passage word for word, but we need to go beyond that and live it. There are a lot of non-believers who know these words too and they view Christians as hypocrites when we say the words, but don’t walk them out in our lives. Unfortunately, they may see us as judgmental and unloving. They may also wonder, “Where has all the love gone?”

We need to ask God to show us our hearts to reveal any little foxes that may be damaging the work that He wants to do through us to draw people to Himself. And we should thoroughly examine our thoughts, actions and speech to see if they reflect the love of God.