1 Corinthians 13:13And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I was thinking about love today. Can you tell? One of my brothers in Christ, Paul, passed away in the last week. You'd say he died of all age but really it was pneumonia that got him while he was in a rehabilitation center. I'd suggest that it was a sad way to go, but I believe that all manner of death is a sad way to go. A death of sacrifice or martyrdom might be more honorable, but it's still a sad affair. There's no such thing as a happy death.
Sort of.
As Christians we have our sights set on something beyond this life. So while I am sorry for Paul's struggle toward the end of his life, I rejoice in the newness of life that is surely within him. And though I will miss him, I am grateful for the example he set. In particular, I find myself reflecting on his love he showed for others.
I think love is an often misunderstood emotion, and its importance is undoubtedly underestimated.
John 13:34-35"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Love is so important that we can use it to help us find the right church to attend. Chances are that if members of a church are selfish and show no love for you then they're probably selfish in how they handle worship as well, doing what they prefer rather than what God commands.
It is important to understand, however, what love truly is. Some think it is unloving to tell someone hard truths, or that it is unloving to do anything other than make them feel good. My mother did not feel loved in the Lord's church and for the longest time I believed that the Church of Christ where I attend did not stand for the truth. She told me about a letter that the elders had sent her where they "kicked her out" and I thought that was the most horrible thing. Then, one day, I read the letter myself (I was surprised she had kept it around for so long) and learned that my mother did not see love where there clearly was plenty. The elders of the church had come to her (and my father) about their attendance in worship. What was an honest attempt to reach out to her and my father to see if anything was wrong, to see how they could help, was seen as an affront. Their reaching out to my parents was interpreted as the elders judging my parents and being unfair... even rude. But we know from scripture that we are to admonish one another when the situation calls for it.
1 Thessalonians 5:11-13Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
Church isn't a place that you visit to hear some music and a lecture before returning home. It is a place where you commune with your spiritual family to worship the Lord God.
In John 13:34, previously quoted, we see that we are to love each other as Christ loved us. There are many different kinds of love according to the secular world, but it is Christ's love that we need to show each other, and the Lord admonished people too, even His apostle Peter. We need to exhibit the kind of love that brings great pain. Just as Christ died for us, we should be willing to die for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as He told us to sin no more, we need to be willing to point out to our brethren when they are in sin. Their eternal security is the most important thing. If you saw someone in a burning building would you hesitate to tell them because you were afraid they'd be offended? Of course not. Likewise, we should not hesitate to help our brothers and sisters see what they cannot see in themselves. And, for our sakes, we need to remember to listen when we are admonished by another and not take it personally. They are doing it out of love, not spite.
My brother in Christ, Paul, serves as a reminder to love the people of the church with a Christ-like love. My biggest regret is that I didn't pay him that courtesy while he was still with us. I am a shy man and prefer to be alone, but if I do not show love then I stand in the way of someone else visiting the church and knowing they are in a place where they can hear the gospel. If a person is supposed to be able to know the Lord's disciples by their love for one another, what am I if I lack the love Christ has for us?
We are so very blessed that Christ has shown us how to love each other so that we do not get caught up in the world's definition of love. And I'm glad that my brother, in his death, served to stir me up by way of reminder toward that goal.
