Doing love in Christ

 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV

            Our experience protest that it is not so, love is fickle, love is pragmatic, and doubtful, love gives-up. With mere human love it is so, and those tendencies endure even in the hearts of believers. It is a tragic situation, which results in tragic situations. Brokenness which produces brokenness, amidst a backdrop of idealistic virtue. Because we are in love, we feel betrayed, and so we are. We are betrayed by our own heart, our own lack of the true virtue, and our own acceptance of a counterfeit. We hurt ourselves as much as we are hurt by others. And as much as we are hurt, we also hurt others.

            How to stop all of this hurting? If we are confined to a love that is something we experience there is no hope. Such a love is what it is and can be no more. However, if we determine that love is a verb, something we do, opportunity presents itself. Now we may say I shall bear all these things for I do love. Now we may say I believe the best for I do love. I shall hope the best for I do love. I shall endure it all for I do love. We have come around to a whole new perspective, and are no longer helpless victims of circumstance.

            Ah, but we have a problem still, for our strength to bear is not sufficient to bear all things. Likewise, our powers of belief, and of hope are too weak to manage all things. As mighty as we may be, we shall never be able to endure all things. We are finite beings, faced with an infinite demand. How can we meet this demand without being undone? We must meet with perfect love in the form of a perfect God-Man Jesus. He loves us, and if we accept that perfect unending love takes hold of us, so that it becomes a defining mark of our character.

            And so, love is binding because of Christ. For His sake we must love, and by His grace we may love. Beloved, let this be clear it is all contingent on Christ for those who are in Christ. What He requires He makes provision for. Now, truly we are not victims, we are now more than conquers in love by grace. So then, by grace I may bear all things for I do love. So too, do I believe all the best by grace, and by grace hope all the best, and by grace do I endure all the worst with Christ’s help. All this we do not for our sake, or our lover’s sake, above all it is for Christ’s sake. In our love, striving towards perfection, may the perfect love of Christ show through as a witness to all who are looking for love.

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