During Bible Study a woman was relating to us a personal issue she was going through. I was trying to give her advice by reminding her of Jesus’ words and example. Her response was, “Well, that was Jesus.” I could be wrong – our discussion was cut short – but I believe she was saying, Jesus was the perfect Son of God so it was easy for Him but I’m only human. While on one hand I agree with this statement, on the other it is also true that He gifts us with the power of the Holy Spirit to obey Him and emulate His example. Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing.
Jesus says: “He who loves Me will keep my commands.” And what are His commands?
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
and
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Now we must acknowledge that most, if not all, of the things God asks of us are, apart from Him, humanly impossible. For one thing, no human being can possibly love the way God loves. If we relied upon our own human capacity alone to love others we’d fail miserably. I don’t recommend trying it. Human love tends to be a warped and twisted conditional form of love. We love only those who love us. We love those who make us feel good. We love those who appreciate us, who flatter us, who are always polite and apologize. But those people are easy to love. Jesus says, and rightly so, that even non-believers love those who are nice to them. If we are to separate ourselves from the world, we must live to a higher standard.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” – Matthew 5:43-47
Have you ever tried to love your enemies? How did it work out for you? Do you actively avoid people who you dislike or who have treated you poorly? Are you nice to them in person but behind their backs you complain? The best we can ever hope for in this endeavor is a phony smile and forced politeness. We might even pat ourselves on the back that we didn’t lose our temper and refrained from gossip. But that isn’t love. It is beyond a doubt our enemy will see it for what it is: we are just pretending to be nice. Our hearts clearly aren’t in it. We might be nice on the outside but on the inside we are secretly praying for something bad to happen to them. Our hearts become stained with hypocrisy.
Many times we are creatively dreaming up all kinds of reasons why we withhold love towards others. “They are always saying hurtful things about me so why should I be nice to them?” “I would forgive them but they never apologize.” “I would help them out but every time I do they never say thank you.” “They are always asking for money but they never offer to pay me back.” “They’re nothing but freeloaders.” “He never appreciates anything I do for him.”
But God says we should love everyone, without conditions, both our friends and our enemies, both the righteous and the unrighteous.
So how do we do it? How can we love the way God asks us to love? Is it even possible?
I’m glad you asked! Yes, it is! But it can only be done if we (a) have the willingness to do it and (b) ask God to enable us to achieve what seemed before to be impossible. With God, all things are possible. But first we have to have the desire to do it. If we don’t have the desire, there’s no point in asking God for the ability to do it. The desire must be there. If the desire is there if for no other reason than that the Lord has asked it of you but you find it impossible to bring yourself up to doing the task, ask God to teach you. In time, God will mold you and shape you until you are able to achieve the impossible.
Do you lack faith? Ask God to help it grow. Do you lack patience? Ask God to give you a portion of His Spirit of patience. Then trust that He will answer and open your minds, hearts, and spirits to what He will teach you. God wants us to desire the fruits of His Spirit. When we fervently desire these things, and ask God for them, He will not turn us away. But we must keep the desire alive. And then, once He answers, act upon what we have learned.
By aligning your will with His, and asking for His assistance in fostering within us faith, hope, and love, we begin to reflect Christ more fully.
Just this morning I was reading a devotional on the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25. It also happens to be the lesson for Sunday’s Bible Study. As I read it, I felt deeply convicted. I know that I have not used all the “talents” God has given me. My great sin has been laziness on my part and I and I alone am to blame.