THE FAMILY CORNER

“I will walk in my house in the integrity of my heart.”

Psalm 101:2

IS LOVE JUST AN EMOTION?

Many of us who are under 55 years old are familiar in various degrees with Rock or Pop music. Not many of us understand the confusion surrounding the subject of love, and the result is that we have adopted meanings about love that are wholly incorrect. One of the popular songs I remember from the last 25 years tells us, “love is a second-hand emotion.” The world-view is that love, basically, has to do with feelings and or a sexually related act...

I have observed from the media, as well as first hand, the universal misconception that love is an emotion. Is this really what love is? Surely, love involves emotions, but is it all emotion, such as anger, or happiness? Let’s examine God’s Word on the subject:

John 14:34: "A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV)

Jesus’ command is not that you must feel love for one another, but that you must love regardless of how you feel. Jesus is showing that love is active; it is a choice. He tells us to love, as He has loved us. His love towards us is based on acts of service and intercession. He does not love us based on feelings; He chooses to do so. So, we can discern that love involves action and choice. It is a commitment.

John. 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

What did the world do to deserve God’s love? Nothing man has ever done could merit His love towards them, yet He still chooses to love us. Even when you have forgotten to pray; or failed to thank Him for watching over your family; or when you yelled at your spouse or children. God’s love is still there. None of these acts inhibits His love towards us as is beautifully shown in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. God still sent His most precious possession, His Only Begotten, Beloved Son into the world to suffer and die for us. Even though some may never respond to this generous, sacrificial act of love, God sent Him anyway.

Matthew 5:45 “…He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (NIV)

God doesn’t send His blessings only to those who love Him, but to the entire world. One day, most will respond in kind to His love. It will be their choice to actively love God and others in return.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”

When you carefully examine this elegant passage of Scripture, it becomes apparent that emotions or feelings cannot be the motivating factor in reaching towards this lofty standard presented above. To be kind and patient, we must stop thinking about what we have to gain from others. To hope and trust, we must be willing to risk injury by having our trust betrayed. We must never give up on others because true love endures. We must choose others over self.

God, through Christ, has empowered us with His Holy Spirit, and if we truly lay hold of that power there remains only one factor missing in attaining to this kind of love – choosing to serve instead of being served. When we choose to honor others, family members, brethren, neighbors and serve their interests above our own, we are well on the way to joy, peace and a God-like love, even if our efforts are spurned or go unappreciated. Christians love, not because they want a positive reaction, but because Jesus commanded them to and they desire to bear fruit to the Father’s glory.

Consider Paul’s words in Phil. 2:3-8: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus: Who, being in the nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross.”

Are we as willing as Jesus to give up our rights in order to serve God and others? He did it joyfully, with love from a heart willing to serve…He loved his Father so much He endured scorn, shame and ridicule – How do we measure up? Andrew Weeks