To Live Is to Love, Part 2

In Part 1 of “To Live Is to Love,” we considered that true life is found when we are loving and being loved. Our ultimate source of love is God, in whom we find this deepest need met. If part of the equation, though, is giving love away, what does this look like? Let’s see what God has to say on the topic . . .

In John 15:13 Jesus tells us, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (NIV). As we seek to love others, we are to imitate the love that God has for us. Yes, the love that went so far that Christ was willing to be mocked, humiliated, tortured, and even killed. Some will be called to make this ultimate sacrifice—showing the world the reality of God, whose love is our only salvation. Never shrink from this honor. But in a million ways every day, we have the chance to lay down our selfish agendas in favor of simply loving others. This is another way we lay down our lives. It’s not always convenient, desirable, fun, or instantly rewarding. But in the end, it leads to a freedom and fullness in life that remains unknown unless we step into it.

On a practical level, God shows us how to do this in 1 Corinthians 13. Are you patient? Kind? Do you envy? Sometimes I do. At times I look at the lives of others and wish that mine was more like theirs. Consistently, though, God reminds me of the wealth I have in him. How about boasting, or feeling a sense of superiority over others? Ever catch yourself being rude, self-seeking, or easily angered? I do. In reality, it can be easy to slip into sin in large or small ways daily. But we’re not called to that. We’re called to live like God—to love even when our feelings or circumstances might push us in a different direction. This is when we lay down our lives for others, and love God in doing so.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (2 John 1:6)