What Is Real Love?
by Katherine Kehler
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“Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:39)
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (I John 3:16)
Last October, Marvin and I were traveling by car to visit some friends. We had a lot of time to talk and we were discussing Matthew 22:39 and I John 3:16. We asked ourselves, “How do we make these verses real in our lives, especially with people we work with or live with?”
I know for sure that I would give up my life for my husband, my children their spouses and our grandchildren. But our love is supposed to go beyond our closest relatives. We are told in I John 3:16 that we are to lay down our lives for our friends. Those are heart-searching words. What do they really mean?
Love means that I choose to give up some of my rights. Love is commitment. Generally, parents are more committed to their children than the other way around. Successful marriages happen when couples are committed to each other for life. How committed does God expect us to be to those who are not our family?
I am still working at understanding the depths of this command. I suppose it is like the Good Samaritan-when He provides an opportunity-do it with love.
Father, Your word tells us that You poured out Your love into our hearts when we received You. There are a lot of times when I need that love activated in my soul, when people are hard to love. Thank You for providing everything we need. Amen
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