The Misused Love: Part Three

We have all heard how it is good to be "nice" to others, but what is "nice?" With Jesus being the prime example of how to show compassion, I believe that we should do more than just “be nice” to people. Being nice has become a shallow example of what many think Christ wants us to do. There are what I believe to be eight essentials that should be understood as to what Christ intends for love. We will cover five in this entry.

1. We must overcome barriers and take time to understand that God’s love transcends all of our cultural and social understandings. Christ didn’t stay within the Temple to commune comfortably with the Pharisees; he went to the tax collectors, was followed by prostitutes, and cared for those who the culture would dismiss as evil. This shows us that we shouldn’t disregard anyone for any reason. Christ sees the truth inside us all: all are God’s children. No one should be discounted from his love.

2. Forgiveness is also a great obstacle that so many believe can’t be dealt with. It can be easy for some to forgive minor offenses, but it is more difficult with major issues. And think of what our culture considers to be “horrible” offenses: rape, murder, and I’m sure we can go one. But remember, God is so holy and has such righteous standards that what we consider to be evil is no worse in his eyes than what we see as minor offenses. Sin is sin with no exception. But we see these horrible things in the world and thrive on Worldly justice and revenge. While justice is good, vengeance is not promoted by Christ. Regardless of the offense, God will forgive if we repent and believe. This is the attitude that Christians should express. When we show forgiveness to those who offend, we interject something into the world that is rarely seen. Christ forgives, and if we are to be Christ-like, so should we with a loving, gracious heart.

3. Christ’s parable of the lost son speaks volumes to us about turning from sin to God, but I also see a lesson in patience. This is a critical facet to love. The Father, while he knew of the errors his son was doing against him, was patient and loving. Even after all was done, he welcomed his son back. God knows what terrible things we will do against him in our lives, but he never turns away from us. He will never give up; he is patient. His Spirit works everyday in our lives to help us turn to him. This is the kind of compassion that we must also share. While those we know hurt us and cause heartache of many kinds, we should still give our love to them. If God does this for us, how can we claim to live Godly lives and turn our backs on those who need us just because they have betrayed us in some way big or small?

4. Another point that is tied closely to patience is forgetfulness. I have heard, and said sometimes myself, the claim, “I will forgive but I will not forget.” This is a contradiction. Literal forgetfulness may never come, but in the context of the statement, it suggests that the remembrance will have an effect on the relationship. This is not forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive without “letting go” of the past. We have also heard of the statement, “forgive and forget.” As cliché as this sounds, it is a great characteristic of God’s grace. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all of the sins of believers are washed away and no longer acknowledged. We are sinful, but we are forgiven if we turn to him. Isaiah 43:18 even states to, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” What has passed has passed. If we are to love and forgive, we must let go of the past, or the sin in us will use it to eat at our heart and turn us against each other.

5. Much of our love is expressed, but not all love is shown through action. The simple act of listening can give unbelievable help to so many. Some people in the world just need someone to listen to them speak. How many times have you felt “better” because you were able to “vent?” This is partially what I mean. The idea is still the same though. Being able to express our issues and have someone care enough to want to know about it helps tremendously. There are multitudes of people that need an ear to willingly and caringly listen to them. This gives the person a feeling of love. They say, “Wow! Someone cares enough about what I have to say. They actually want to know about me and my problems.” This is the easiest act of love a Christian can do, but it is also one of the least used. Christ would listen to a person all day if it means showing his love. In fact, he does. We all have this need. When we have problems, we turn to God. We pray, speak, and even cry at times. God is always there listening to us because he loves us. In turn, we must do the same to others, friends and strangers alike.