THE LOVE-LIFE
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39)... Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
It is said that we should love others, make sacrifices and serve others as we do for ourselves - basically living a selfless life. I get it that some of us may find it facile to put the happiness of our parents, siblings, spouse, close friends, and children before ours but that’s not the case here. True love goes beyond family and friends. Telling a woman to feed her children before she eats is comprehendible, but asking to feed the kids of her neighbour first seems out of place. Our love life needs to extend from family to neighbours, colleagues, and even strangers.
With the unrest in the world presently there’s little or no time to pay attention to another person’s need. The economic recession, insecurity, frail educational and health sector, and pandemic is enough to cloud our minds without creating room for anyone else. Come to think of it, we have just enough issues to deal with in our personal lives so why bother to include another person. We probably have a billion reasons to be selfish but remember that selfishness has no reward at the end of life. Jesus is our perfect example of one who lived a selfless life; while He was on earth, knowing fully well that He had the cross to face at the end of His life, it never stopped Him from healing the sick, raising the dead, setting captives free, feeding the multitudes along the way and laid down his lives for others.
What would make you put the happiness of everyone around you before yours? It sounds cliché just to think about it. I understand that the natural man is incapacitated to love beyond self. The solution is to surrender our hearts and life to God so that His love can flow through our lives. The love that can only be found in Christ Jesus, the love that made Him to leave the glory of heaven, come to earth, suffer great pain beyond human comprehension, and die a sinner’s death in our stead. I’m yet to understand that kind of love; the love that no one deserves but still it’s freely given to all that would accept Him. Love that sees you as someone beautiful and worth dying for. (John 3:16)
God instructed us to love humanity the way He loves us. As believers we’re expected to do things beyond the norm, not acting based on feelings but principles. We may not always feel like doing the right thing regardless, God’s word must be obeyed. Its unfathomable to give your thirsty neighbour the last bottle of water you have when you’re equally thirsty.
The life of Christ is a life of love. Love never seeks its own, love doesn’t discriminate, love is not boastful, love is not selfish, love never disappoints, love does not rejoice in iniquity, love bears all things, love forgives all things, love endures, love is not rude, love thinks no evil, love is not envious, love is kind, love is sacrificial, love is faithful, love is hopeful, and love gives.
Only God can make us love beyond self. Man is too selfish to be selfless. Fortunately, we have a manual (the Bible) to live by and the Holy Spirit to guide us every step of the way. Do something beyond the norm today, check on your neighbours, colleagues, friends, and so on. The world still needs to know and feel the love of Jesus.
