So I have felt called to break down the verse that gives us the fruits of the spirit. Today I am going with the first fruit love!
Love can be defined in several different ways but today I want to break down the meaning of love from the verse Galatians 6:22-23. The verse reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
The definition of love I want to use is this: an unselfish loyal and benevolent (benevolent is the purpose of doing good) concern for the good of another as (1) the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) brotherly (or sisterly) concern for others.
In the eyes of God love is a pretty big deal. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 it says,“Three things will last forever- faith, hope, and love- the greatest of these is love.”
Now, God totally practices what He preaches. He isn’t up there just bossing us around! See in verse John 3:16, “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That’s love man. I mean L to the O to the V to the E, LOVE! He gave his son, a beautiful sacrifice for us! So that we may have eternal life with him! So that we could have the Holy Spirit bless us, speak to us, advocate for us! Aw, it’s just beautiful!
Love is such a big deal to God that he even calls us to love our enemies! WHAT?! So, what is the love your enemy business? Let me share…In the Message version of Matthew 5:43-48 it says, “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.48 “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” …well, I think that summed it up pretty well.
So, God loves us, we are to love our enemies, who is next in our line of love? Well, that my friend is our neighbors! These can be your neighbors at your apartment complex, on your street (if you rent or own a home), the office next to you at work, the person you are parked next to at the light, the person behind you at the grocery store, Hey, we’re Americans…that even means to love our neighboring countries such as Canada and Mexico…. If they are near you they are your neighbor! Mark 12:31a says, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Yup that’s right. Treat your neighbor the way you would treat yourself. We are all pretty selfish people in some form or fashion…so only the best for us right? Well, that goes for your neighbor too! We should want the best for our neighbors! Is there a neighbor in your life that could use some extra love? Pray for the Lord to show you what they need! Do they need Jesus? That is the best gift you can give anyone!
And we’re trucking along….next stop the oppressed, the widows, and the orphans! We learn this in Isaiah 1:17 (NIV), “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow!” Seek justice is to stand up for those who are being wrongly accused! To Defend the oppressed is to speak up for those who are too weak or tired to speak up for themselves! Take up the cause of the fatherless and love love love on them! They deserve parents just as much as you did! And plead the case for the widow who has lost her spiritual head of house hold! She no longer has her partner to help her through daily tasks.
You see, love is not just a word! It is an action! Love is to pray. Love is to listen. Love is to be a voice. Love is to mow a yard. Love is to encourage. Love is to cook or bake. Love is to look beyond someone’s sins, someone’s financial situation, someone’s choices and see their potential! To see this person as a precious child of God who was created to do wonderful, amazing things in the name of Jesus! We are to love more than just our spouse or our best friend or our mothers and fathers. We are to love the broken, the messy, the arrogant, the quiet, the outspoken, the weak, the strong, the criminals, the victims, and everyone else in between. Why? Because God calls to. When we honestly look at ourselves…I mean deep down….we are just as broken, we are just as weak, we can be just as arrogant and sinful. We are not perfect yet God loves us! I want to encourage you to love others just as Christ loves you!
