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If you missed my last post, I just started a series called Behave Like A Christian, the idea being dropped into my head by the Lord. The series is based on Romans 12:9-21. First up is verse 9a. Different versions of this verse expand the meaning…

* “Let love be genuine.” English Standard Version
* “Love without feigning.” Wycliffe New Testament
* “[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing).” Amplified
* “Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.” The Message
* “Don’t just pretend that you love others: really love them.” The Living Bible
* “Let us have no imitation Christian love.” The New Testament in Modern English (Phillips)

I love those last two, don’t you? Don’t pretend; really love. And no imitation. The Greek says, “Let love be without dissimulation,” meaning without hypocrisy, deceit, or pretense, unfeigned, undisguised.

How do we love God? Others? Ourselves?

Have you ever feigned your love for someone? Ever gotten that cheesy grin on your face, that smirk of fake love? It’s called hypocrisy, being an actor as an assumed character.

Have you ever feigned your love for God? What did Jesus say to the Pharisees? “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship is a farce.’” (Matt. 15:7-9a NLT)

Outward smiling, nicey-nice and lovey-dovey; inward stinking, hypocrisy and pharisaism. Ever been there, done that?

Do we see the face of Christ in others? If God is love and “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,” (Rom. 5:5 NKJV) then how do we not see others as vessels containing His Spirit, unless the snarling monster of self raises its ugly head to block our view?

How can we love God and hate Him in others at the same time? Solomon said, “He who despises his neighbor sins [against God, his fellowman, and himself].” (Prov. 14:21 Amp) If we say God reigns supreme in our lives, why are we so unloving to His other body parts? I just don’t get it!

What did Jesus answer when asked which was the great commandment? He said, “‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NKJV)

On the last night of Jesus’ stay on earth, He told the disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34 NKJV) Do we really think about what that says? How did Jesus love us? Enough to give His life for all. Do we love others with this kind of sacrificial love, with no exclusions?

Paul said, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another,” (Rom. 12:10 NKJV) “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph. 4:2 NKJV)

“Be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had: He always had the nature of God.” (Phil. 2:3b-6a GNB)

Unfeigned, unmasked, unbroken, unreserved, undisguised, no deceit, no pretense,
all-out, pure love…without hypocrisy. That’s the kind of love I want to have for God and for others.

Lord, may my love for You be so pure, so true, so undivided, that it flows effortlessly out of my heart to encompass all those that cross my path. Amen!

Okay, so February is considered the Love Month because of Valentine’s Day. With all that has been written about love, is there anything new to say about it? Well, I had a thought.

More than likely, you have heard about Twitter, the online social network or community. Since I am on Twitter, I decided to get a little feedback from my Twitter friends and asked them this question…

What is the essence or meaning of love to you?

I received some awesome answers. Because Twitter limits responses to 140 characters, these are short responses…

* karenrobbins said, “Love: emotion that sends adrenaline soaring and brings tears of joy with tenderness when it is returned unconditionally.”
* Hetty4Christ quoted C. S. Lewis, “God will look to every soul like its first love because He IS its first love.”
* Pepperfire said, “Love is the meaning of life. Without it, we are naught but a bunch of self-centered egos trying to kill each other.”
* Molly_Mac said, “I always go back to 1 Corinthians 13:4, Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous...can’t improve on that one!”
* pamelareilly had two responses, “Love is being willing to do EVERYTHING biologically necessary while your partner has two broken arms. Been there. Done that…Love is my husband’s willingness to make dinner, chauffeur the kids, clean house, massage my neck, and be my rock while I write.”
* rachaelmphillips (married for 34 years) said, “My husband Steve demonstrates love’s essence. Like Jesus, he celebrates the good in me, forgives my bad, & shelters me in His strong arms.
* PPureIndugence had two responses, “To love and be loved in return is the greatest gift God has given. He loves unconditionally and asks us to do the same. Seems this is a challenge for man. We tend to love but want to change others. Been guilty of this myself…In Ps. 107 God speaks of his “Unfailing Love” 6 times. Even as we are wandering, imprisoned, afflicted, and in the storms of life, His Unfailing love is always there.”

Out of the responses I received, the #1 answer was contained in one word…sacrifice!

* ProfessorAlan and lizdyer both said, “Love is sacrifice.”
* lucyannmoll said, “Love. . .sacrifice, unselfishness (as if this were humanly possible), God. God is love. Sounds like a Bible verse!”
* topabbott said, “The essence of love to me is one word, sacrifice. If we’re not willing to give something up for another, it’s not love.”
* filoiwiedenhoff said, “I thought about yr question yesterday and the word that keeps coming to mind is sacrificial. John 15:13 - No greater love than that…I’m learning love is to be willing to lay myself aside but it can only come through the power of Jesus. His love being poured out through me.”

Laying Himself aside, Christ poured out His physical life for the redemption of the world. As the Bridegroom, Jesus selflessly surrendered His life on earth for His bride, the church, whom He “loved…and gave Himself for her.” (Eph. 5:25b NKJV)

When we receive this sacrificial love into our lives, do we then willingly pour it out to others? Or are we too selfish and set in our own ways?

Peter tells us, “Now you can have real love for everyone because your souls have been cleansed from selfishness and hatred when you trusted Christ to save you; so see to it that you really do love each other warmly, with all your hearts.” (1 Peter 1:22 TLB)

Do we love others unselfishly as Jesus does, whether our spouses, families, friends, or others? Do we forget ourselves in order to help another? Do we endure being uncomfortable in order to make someone else comfortable? Do we forgo acquiring something in order to give to another?

Remember, “Whoever lives in love lives in God.” (1 John 4:16b NIV)

On this Valentine’s Day, from my heart to your heart, I wish you an infilling of love in Jesus’ name…

~~Blessings, Lynn~~