Coffee Break - No Love

Coffee Break

"No Love"

Jesus said that by our love all men would know that we are His disciples.  He didn't say that by our church attendance they would know. Or by our giving money to the church, the poor or those who had a need they would know.  He didn't say they would know that we were His disciples by doing ministry, singing in the choir, feeding the hungry, by teaching Sunday school class or by working in the church.  As a matter of fact, we are told in His word that we can do all these things and more but if we don't have love we are no better than an irritating noise-- a clinging brass and tinkling cymbal to be exact.  (1 Corinthians 13)

If we aren't careful we can substitute works for love.  Anyone can do good works and not be right with the Lord-- not one of His born-again children.  Even atheist can be giving, caring people-- and they don't even believe in God.

When we get so involved in the work of the Lord, we can lose sight of what it is all about.  God sent His Son Jesus into the world because He loved the world and didn't want to see us perish.  The works that Jesus did while here on earth were to demonstrate the Father's love for us.  

I have to admit that through this time the Lord has let me know that I had lost my love and compassion for others-- the way it should have been as His disciple.  When you are doing ministry, especially the kind I am doing that involves meeting people's physical and monetary needs, you can lose love and compassion in the process.  When you have so many people who use you, when you have so many people who only want handouts, when you have people who aren't willing to help themselves but expect you to constantly bail them out, you can "shut up your bowels of compassion" after a while.  This is a prayer that I constantly pray.. please don't let me do that. Situations in life, abuses by others, being used by those you care about, dealing with hardships day in and day out, going through grief and all the questions connected with it are among some of the things that try to suck the love right out of you.  When they do, they leave you cold, hard and callous.  

Even though I prayed that I wouldn't get like that, I did.  But God heard my prayer and is answering it.  He is restoring my love and compassion.  He is giving me back His heart of love.  Being flat on my back made me see what compassion was really about.  I had several people come and bring us meals and pray for us and just love on us by trying to relieve our burden.  It was a reminder of what love really looks like... it's words backed up with actions out of caring and unconditional motives.  What others did for me was a true picture of what Jesus did for us.  He showed us that this is what love is.    

Have a great day.  What does your love look like?  Does it look like Jesus?  Are you mistaking works for love?  Has your love grown cold and your heart hard?  Jesus will give you back your love and compassion if you ask Him to.