“Cords of Kindness”

 

“If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (I am just a noise maker)! If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, (if I’m as smart and as wise as anyone has ever been, but do not have love, it won’t matter at all), and if I have a faith so big that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing! If I make a big show of how much I give to the poor and how much more I am willing to sacrifice (1 Cor. 13), but do it without love, I might as well stay home and read a book!

 

When you get right down to it, it’s all about love, isn’t it? God’s creative work, the words of the prophets, the awful death that our sinless Lord dies, and our walk together in a journey we call life- it’s all about love! From the “puppy love” that I can barely recall to the love expressed on death beds all over the world, from the ancient days to this day, it’s all about love… because without love we are nothing! Being loved and loving others is central to our lives and, from the beginning, God has sought to give and receive love also. Listen to God’s words in Hosea, chapter 11: “It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.” God issued many commandments and some warnings too, it’s true… but He leads us with the ties of love!

In an act of love, Christ Jesus came to earth to walk among us and to save our souls. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) It was all about love… and when Jesus suffered on Golgotha’s hill, among his last words were these:  "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And before He ascended to Heaven, (John 21) Jesus called a dispirited Peter to join him around a little charcoal fire. The other disciples were there too, but Jesus focused on Simon. It is likely that you know the story: ^“When they had finished eating, Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Simon replied, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon, do you love me?” and Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” Then, for yet a third time, Jesus asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the same question three times and he said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” And then Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me” because it’s all about love!

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8)  “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17)  “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16)) And it’s all about love for you and me too. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:37–39) This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

 

It’s all about love, isn’t it? They say that the world will know we are Christians by our love, and we are reminded that… “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful, arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It’s all about love!” O Paul, you’ve laid a challenge before me- one that I now see for what it is.  Love is patient… but I’m not. Many people know that. Love is kind… but even that is sometimes a hill for me. Love, you say, is not proud or rude… so I guess I’ll need to quit thinking about who deserves love and who doesn’t. Love, it seems, is something I need to surrender to, and something I need to pray for. I’m not doing my part, Lord, but I sure praise you for doing yours! Amen!