By Paul Chappell
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might
remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye
love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that
a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever
I command you."
John 15:11-14
Former Congressman J.C. Watts from Oklahoma once said, "Compassion can’t
be measured in dollars and cents. It does come with a price tag, but the price
tag isn’t the amount of money spent. The price tag is love." Love is
anything but free. The nature of godly love is that it is willing to make
sacrifices for the good of the other rather than being focused on protecting
itself or getting its own way.
Of course the ultimate example of this love is found in the
life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He willingly came "to give his life
a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). This is a different kind of love from
the kind our world knows today. Most of what is called love would more properly
be called attraction, and in many cases simply lust. This kind of self-focused
behavior is far short of what God has in mind.
It is no surprise that the world falls short when it comes
to love, but that should never be true for us. Each of our relationships—with
family members, friends, fellow church members and the lost—should be
characterized by this divine love that "seeketh not her own" (1 Corinthians
13:5). As we evaluate our love for others, we should not measure our feelings
or our words, but our actions. Are we loving as Christ did, willing to give up
that which we have every right to claim in order that someone else may benefit?
Truly loving another is never an inexpensive proposition.
Today's Rooted Principle:
It is impossible to truly love people without being willing
to sacrificially give to them.
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