What Does Love Look Like?

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” – 1 Corinthians 13:6-8

I was talking with someone just the other day about a difficult time they are facing.  Their spouse is standing on the shore of the river Styx, if you will, waiting for the boat to arrive.  My friend is beside themselves. Their great love for each other is obvious and admirable.  The trouble they face is a chronic one – getting progressively worse. He is always on alert for any difficulties his wife might be having. The ambulance service knows the address well. His perseverance has taken its toll on him – emotionally – physically. 

I reminded him of the commitment we all make at the altar on our wedding day – richer – poorer – sickness and health – until death do us part.  He is living out that commitment – where so many others fail. To understand the deep meaning of a marriage relationship is to live it out just like my friend is doing. On the day of our marriage the thoughts of what he is facing today are not even on the horizon of our minds. All we hear is Good times – health – richer. We can’t imagine not being together. So many relationships fail because there is a lack of true love. Love is not merely an attitude or an elated emotion, and is often confused with lust, which it is not.  Love is lived out – it is sacrificial.

My friend is not a Christian, his wife is. Yet I see the nature of his love and marvel at its depth and purity.  I try not to “preach at” or throw scripture at people who are incapable of understanding spiritual truth. But even people without the Spirit of God can understand the words – just not the spiritual truth. I shared John 15:13 – No Greater Love – with him as I encouraged him in his dedication to his wife in these perilous times. I shared Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands giving themselves up for their wives – laying their lives down. I told him that I saw him loving his wife like that. He is committed to her but acknowledged just how difficult this journey is. Not that he wants to quit – but that his heart is heavy – his body is tired – he wants to “fix” it but knows he cannot.

“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’” – John 21:15

Jesus was telling Peter that love is more than an attitude – it is an action. Feeding His Lambs would mean that there would be a personal cost. A cost like “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25) That is what love looks like. That is what I am seeing in my friend’s life. But there is one thing lacking. My friend is not a Christian and his wife is. So I asked him a question. I asked if he know that when his wife was just in the hospital – after years of fighting for her next breath – and sometimes it didn’t come – that she told him she wanted to go home. I asked him if she meant to her house or to heaven – he replied “both”. So I asked him if he thought he would also go to heaven – he hoped so – he thought maybe. That is point where I shared the answer of “What must I do to be saved.” I told him that he needed to make a decision and it was between him and the Lord. (I am not sharing all of our conversation – but only the high points) That I was available to talk anytime. Salvation is so personal – it is a transaction of the heart.  I know that from the time that my mom started sharing the plan of salvation with me in her letters she wrote to me while I was in Vietnam – until the day I yielded my heart in faith seven years later – she never button holed me – never preached to me – but she did love me and spoke to me when the Spirit gave me opportunity.

So why share this with you. Because I was reminded yesterday that we are all ministers.  We all are to show God’s great love and compassion towards other people. You never know when you are going to be given a spiritual opportunity to be a witness – but remember – we are ambassadors – representatives – we can’t save anyone – but God will use us as a spark to ignite the flame of faith in others. But the result is not up to us – as much as we might want it to be. We are not the Holy Spirit – but we can be and should be faithful witnesses.

Please pray for my friend and pray for his wife. You need not know who it is – God does.

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone