Love: The Jumping-off Point

"For this is the message you have heard from the beginning:  You should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his own actions were evil and his brother's righteous.  Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.  We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.  Anyone who does not love remains in death."  I John 3:11-14

Hatred = death                                Love = life. 

And that is all of your math lesson I have planned for today!  But all jokes aside, that is the bare bones of truth.  Picture the first word in the equation as a starting point and the one on the other side as a destination.  If you start out hating people, ultimately, it will kill you emotionally, spiritually and even physically.  Much research  has been done that attempts to determine the consequence of negative emotions on health.  Research has documented that   hatred, unforgiveness, and stress lead to heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  Conversely, love leads to life.  Spiritually, physically and eternally.  Walking in love protects our spirit and even our physical and emotional well-being.  You most likely have seen the same reports I have, infants that are not held and shown love can die even when their physical needs are being met. We were made for love!

Love is the spiritual DNA of God.  The Bible clearly explains "God is love."  Thus, when we are born again children of God, our spiritual DNA is impacted by love as well.  Receiving the love of God changes everything!  It changes how we think, how we feel, how we problem-solve and approach life in general.  And that type of love is productive.  It produces spiritual offspring.  Because we have received Christ's love, we love others and lead them also to the truth of His love that we have found. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." (John 3:16)  When we become children of God, we-like natural children-pick up characteristics of our Father. If there is no resemblance to the Father, one wonders if the person is indeed his child!

The love of God inspires us to love our earthly brothers and sisters all the more.  The love of God inspires us to love our Christian brothers and sisters in the Lord.  In fact, it is commanded.  But it does not stop there.  The love of God requires that we also love and bless those who hate and mistreat us.  Why?! Because of the love of God.  It is our starting point for all things.  But thank God, eternal life is our destination!

Oh Lord, help me to receive all the love you have for me.  Help me also, Lord, to let you love others through me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri