Take a moment to read the different ways children answered the question, “What is love?”
“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.”—Billy, age 4
“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs.”—Chrissie, age 6
“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”—Nikki, age 6
“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.”—Tommy, age 6
“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”—Elaine, age 5
“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”—Jessica, age 8 (Source: Unknown)
Children are incredible observers of the love we practice in our everyday lives! It is a humbling thought to know children watch us so carefully. An even more humbling thought is of the love we have received from Jesus Christ from the very beginning of our lives! How great the Father’s love is for us! We must love as God has loved us.
The Standard
John 13:34-35. This command is first given in Lev. 19:18. However, the command given in Leviticus is slightly different from the command in John. It is the standard for our love that changes. In Leviticus, it is “love thy neighbor as thyself,” but in John 13 that standard is changed to “as I have loved you.” The standard is the change that makes this a “NEW” commandment.
Think of the emphasis of this command in John 13:
Matt. 5:43-44 says we are to love our enemies! Did you remember that we were all enemies of God before salvation (Rom. 5:10)?
Matt. 5:46 points out that only loving those who love you is nothing.
Matt. 22:37 makes a huge declaration that the greatest command in all of scripture is to love the Lord with everything you’ve got!
What drives me to this level of love?
The Bigness of God – Our Creator
Gen. 1:1; Hebrews 11:3
Without Him, I would not be here! He spoke the worlds into existence. But it’s more than that. Consider how vast the universe is as we know it…as far as we can see it.
Jn. 1:1, 14; I Jn. 4:10, 19. We are small in comparison to all God has created. Yet, He still sought me out and saved me from eternal condemnation!
The Matchlessness of God – Our Savior
I Jn. 4:10, 19. There is no other being who loves so unconditionally towards a people who repeatedly rebel against Him!
Joni Erickson Tada had a terrible accident that left her quadriplegic. In spite of her physical limitations, she became an accomplished author and artist. 42 years ago, she married her husband, Ken. For her wedding she had planned to come down the center aisle in her motorized wheelchair. Just before her grand entrance she noticed two distressing problems. First, she had rolled over her beautiful gown and made a big grease spot and her dress had torn. Then, the flowers in her lap had slipped and had lodged between her leg and the chair. She was filled with disappointment, and then suddenly the doors to the auditorium opened, and she saw her husband to be.
Here was the man who was committing his love and his life to her. Joni later said, “Once I saw Ken's face, all I could think of was him. Everything else—the people in the church, the flowers that were sitting a little askew on my lap, the fact that my dress didn't fall right because I was sitting in a wheelchair, the grease marks, the rip in my gown all of it paled in comparison.”
When we see Jesus, He will be all that matters to us. (Source: Joni and Friends radio broadcast, July 2, 2007)
Make these thoughts the focus of your own heart:
John 3:16 – God chose me…God loves ME.
John 3:19 – DARKNESS over light -- men loved darkness rather light because their deeds were evil, so man needs a Savior.
Imagine with me two gardeners that are given plots of land and the same tools and resources to work the land. The one gardener, Sam, measures every seed, tracks every hour, and follows instructions to the letter. Sam, however, works his garden out of obligation. He simply works so he doesn’t get fired.
The other gardener, Lucy, works hard as well. Lucy loves to garden. She knows every flower by name and works in the garden even when no one is looking. Why? Because she loves the garden…it’s not a duty to Lucy – it’s a delight!
When harvest time came, Lucy’s garden was more vibrant and clearly flourished above Sam’s garden.
Obedience driven by love always goes further than obedience driven by fear or obligation.
OBEDIENCE vs LOVE – John 14:21 says it this way, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” We don’t have an obedience problem…we have a love problem! When our love for God is real and growing, obedience becomes a natural expression, not a burden.
When you are truly in love, you go to great lengths to be with that person, and it becomes painful not to be with the person. You jump at the chance to be together. You are extravagant with your time, treasures, and talents.
WOW — what a standard! “Impossible!” – you may think…and you would be right. The scriptures challenge us to redirect our focus! We are looking at the obedience…but Christ is looking at our love for Him!
One preacher posed this scenario to illustrate the need of our hearts: If you could have heaven right now, with no more sickness…no more financial pressures…no more natural disasters…all your friends you ever had are with you…the best foods you ever liked are available at your request…and no more human conflict (at all) --- would you be satisfied if Christ was not there? (John Piper, “God is the Gospel”)
When I choose sin…I am not thinking of my love for God. I am thinking of my love for self. When thoughts of myself dominate, I sin. We don’t have to “do better” – we need to develop our love relationship with Jesus!
The Supportiveness of God – Sustainer
Col. 1:16-18
We were not just created and dumped here. The creator, the Lord Jesus, is invested and cares about His creation.
God our creator, Savior, and sustainer love us all…incredible! What about our love for Him? To love our mothers better or for mothers to love their children better, we need to develop a deeper relationship with God! Consider these 4 helps to deepen your relationship with God:
1. Spend time in the Bible. Look for how God reveals Himself. It is His love letter to us all! (Jeremiah 15:16)
2. Talk to God in Prayer. Allow your prayers to be filled with open and honest words. This is a relationship, not a ritual (Ps. 62:8). Praise Him, thank Him, and be real.
3. Hang out with God-Loving People. When you hang around others who deeply love the Lord, it can ignite your own affections toward God (Prov. 27:17). Develop this kind of love of God in your home and raise children who deeply love God as well!
4. Ask God for Help. You can pray for the Lord to stir your love for Him.
Go back to your relationship with Jesus. Has your love for Him grown cold?
When your love for Jesus grows cold, your treatment of others will follow the same path.
Purposely pursue a deeper love relationship with Jesus!