Is Your Love Like A Soul-Less Donation?

Today’s post is going to be more of a small ramble and straight to a point because it seems that the bloggesphere is full of talk lately about what our “Christian duty” is this Christmas and I’m tired of words and evaluating. Is being liable the question? Really? Are we so anemic spiritually that we need this kind of talk? It’s exhausting.

Jesus came to give us what we needed, yes. We needed redemption, we needed forgiveness, we were a wreck and lost and all of that. Jesus birth and death met the need. But God doesn’t stop at just being a Providential care-giver, doling out prescriptive fixes.

Meeting needs is good, but meeting needs de-void of love is just meeting needs. It’s not scriptural, or biblical or Christ-like.

God loved us first, then told us, and then acted upon that love.

And God isn’t loving as in “He knows how to love a person” and that is one of His attributes. ===>HE IS LOVE.

HE IS ALL love and ALL justice and ALL mercy and ALL holy and so many other wonderful things all at the same time. His attributes are perfect and are never in conflict.

And we only know how to truly love====> because we know Him.

People around you need to know that you love them. People don’t care what you do for them if it’s without love.

• If you are wondering why your influence is so small or people don’t seem to be taking to you, check your love. Are you hot, indifferent or cold in the love department?
• Are you possibly more concerned about declaring your own rights, getting your own way, setting up controlling, selfish boundaries and stomping your foot as you build your own small k-kingdom? Check your love. You’re loving someone, but it’s not God and it’s not others.
• If your marriage is falling apart and you don’t know what’s gone wrong, check your love.
• Do you share the gospel without love? Do you hand out a gospel track to that smelly homeless man with your arms out-stretched as far as possible to avoid contact or to avoid personal space so you can make a get-a-way after performing your duty? I think you’ve missed something significant in this approach.
• Have your words shown love? Actions? Do your non-verbal cues communicate indifference? Are you treating and speaking to others the way you’d want to be spoken to? If others spoke to you the way you do to them, would that be acceptable or would you bristle? Do others put up with your harshness or indifference while you expect a free pass for this behavior? Check your love.

People don’t want charity, they want love. They crave it. They want to know that they belong, that you accept them. In fact, there’s nothing worse than being the object of someone’s pity or duty.

Can you image “loving” someone out of duty? It doesn’t even make sense. If you’ve convinced yourself that it’s your duty to love your mother-in-law or that annoying neighbor, or that prickly person, please re-evaluate. It’s not your duty, but a command to have a certain heart disposition towards them. 

“I feel I should give you this because it’s my Christian duty.” Save it. And save the self-righteous words behind an empty heart. Yes, it’s good to know what’s expected, but as soon as you know that “life and heart” are not in sync, pray for grace and repent of the selfishness before moving forward in action.

Don’t do things without love behind it.

Loveless gifts are mere soul-less donations.

But, give me a mere cup of water in love, and because of the Christ who prompts you to love and you’ve won me.

God made it known that His plans were full of love. He didn’t have to tell us that, but He did.

WE were the objects of His love.

“For God SO LOVED the world, that He gave His one and only Son….” (John 3:16a)

For those of you hurting:

When you feel insignificant, or overlooked, remember that all of this “Christmas business” was with you in mind. God loved YOU.

When your life takes a seemingly downward turn, never to be the same again, {like Mary who would be misunderstood by her peers and labeled a fornicator although she was innocent and was actually the direct recipient of God’s favor just like you and me} remember that God loves you.

And if you have the chance to love someone today, do it. We have no guarantees of tomorrow.