LOVE

LOVE
Written by: Melody Espinoza, Co-Lead Pastor

When you’re getting ready for the day, there’s an intentionality about choosing the right outfit for whatever we have going on that day. From the way we want to style our hair to the shoes we want to wear, it matters and we’re making a conscious decision to put it on.

One of the most important accessories I find myself putting on in this season of my life is “love. Jesus himself calls us to love. Love for God and love for others is not only evidence for the presence of Christ in one’s life, but it also holds the power to transform a person’s existence. We know that the fruit we bear will affirm whether we have a growing relationship with Christ or not. We don’t accidentally become more like Christ.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV) says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”

I love to cross-reference and look at what other translations say. In The Message translation, Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG) says, “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

Ladies, have you ever been out and about with something missing? You forgot your purse, glasses, earrings, your phone, or maybe you forgot to do your makeup or didn’t have time to do your hair. Even if it’s one thing that’s missing, you are fully aware and you feel incomplete. Perhaps this ought to be how believers should feel when we are out and about and haven’t put on love for the day? Instead, we’ve already started our day without asking God to cover us with His love, acknowledging that He already knows how our day is going to go.

So many people are being influenced by people who shouldn’t have any influence in their lives. Many of us have other people doing the thinking for us. Turn to what God’s word has to say about showing empathy, demonstrating compassion, and modeling love.

Regardless of the influences that threaten your testimony, there’s power in the name of Jesus that secures your ability to love others just as Christ has loved you. John 13:34 (NIV) says, “Love one another. As I have loved you.” If pride is stopping you from loving, ask God to soften your heart. If it’s anger, loss, betrayal, or unforgiveness, God is gracious enough to meet us where we’re at. He will help us through it. Yes, love is that big of a deal. If you need healing, and that’s why you find it so difficult to love, let the Lord heal you from the inside out and you will love. Regardless of how broken you are, God can put you together so you can fulfill His purpose. Isaiah 42:3 tells us, “Arise, get up from the place and move forward. Turn to the past at hand and know that God has not abandoned you.”

When we commit to putting on love, the invisible God can become visible with the way we love. Think about it. You may be the only Jesus your family, co-workers, or friends may see. Forgetting to put on love could be more detrimental than we may realize.

We are called to love and it’s not too late to start. In fact, our world could use more love right about now. Our nation could use more love. With the upcoming election, I have seen more hatred than love on display. I have seen more Christians spewing hatred toward their neighbors than spilling out love. When I stop to observe and listen to what’s around me, I’m heartbroken.

Who is our neighbor? That could mean our literal neighbors, our church family, the rude lady in the check-out line at the grocery store, the annoying co-worker, or the family member you can’t seem to forgive.

I’ve heard it said that we tend to ask God for the things we don’t want to do. God does the impossible, and we ought to do the possible. Putting on love is something we can do. Asking the Lord for help to use it throughout the day is also something we can do. Effort, attempt, and pursuit of showing love is something we can do.

Are you looking for places and ways God can use you simply by showing love?
Can your love for Jesus be louder than your hate for a certain situation or an event that has taken place in your life?
Can your love for your brothers and sisters in Christ be stronger than your offense?
Can your love for Jesus be greater than your hate for a politician?

Matthew 5:44 (NKJV) says. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

Why should we love our enemies? If simply because the Bible says so isn’t strong enough for you, I think Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a great explanation in one of his sermons: “I think the first reason that we should love our enemies, and I think this was at the very center of Jesus’ thinking, is this: that hate for hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe. If I hit you and you hit me and I hit you back and you hit me back and go on, you see, that goes on ad infinitum. It just never ends. Somewhere somebody must have a little sense, and that’s the strong person. The strong person is the person who can cut off the chain of hate, the chain of evil…Somebody must have religion enough and morality enough to cut it off and inject within the very structure of the universe that strong and powerful element of love.”

That’s it. There is a power in love that our world has not discovered yet.

We can sing all day every Sunday but lyrics that challenge me to love others and worship an unfailing, perfect God, pierce me the most.

One of my favorite lyrics is from the song “Put On Love” by Maverick City Music. At the end of the song, it says this:

“God, help me love my brother
Lord, help me love my sister
Lord, help me love my neighbor
Help me love my enemies”

Perhaps that really is the bottom line.
– Pastor Melody Espinoza

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