Bible Reading: Psalm 23, 1 John 3: 17-24
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” –1 John 3:18(KJV).
The word ‘love’ has been used out of context. Some have misconstrued infatuation for love, others have called lust love. In most cases, this is confessed in words of mouth, but no truth in it. Many use the word love in the place of like. Love is strong and very powerful. Love is the greatest and can stand the test of time. True love is sweeter than honey and is stronger than adamant. A demonstration of true love comes from the heart and is domiciled there. Love is truth. Love can never fail.
The greatest love ever demonstrated towards humanity came from God himself. The demonstration did not come by word alone but by genuine and true deed at Calvary. God is Love and any man who confesses love must follow after the pattern of God. Jesus Christ said in John 15:13(KJV): “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” True and genuine love can only be done in deed and in truth. Let us look at the salient qualities of true love as stated in the scriptures. Love is longsuffering, kind, does not envy, is not proud and arrogant, is not selfish, not self-centered, does not behave unseemly, is selfless, not easily provoked, thinks no evil, abhors iniquity, rejoice in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopeful and endures all things, and above all love never fails (1Corinthians 13:4-8a).
This is the great love that compelled God to come in human form to bear the sins of humanity. This kind of love is Spirit endued to be sustained. This is God’s kind of love. It is the most potent force on earth. It can disarm any force on earth. For such love to be extended to another person it can only be done through deed and in truth. This is the kind of love we are encouraged to love one another with, as espoused by Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Roman church: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” – Romans 12:10(KJV). If we say we are Christians we must strive to love God’s way. If we are the children of God we must be seen as living to show his character of love in us.
True love is always giving. One of the characteristic of genuine love is giving without asking for anything in return. Love is measured by your strength in giving. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” – John 3:16(KJV).
Prayer: Father endue me with the Spirit of Love so that my walk with you can be sustained unto the day of your coming to take me home.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo