Where is the Love?
It has been a year to remember…or perhaps, a year to forget.
Changes, uncertainties, and unknowns left us often overwhelmed and consumed.
Hand sanitizer, toilet paper, social distancing, masks, a new normal, and stay at home orders have filled every area of our lives, and let us not forget politics, the election, riots, unrest, etc. Goodness gracious, it was a lot for one year.
But the thing I’ll remember most from 2020 is probably the ANGER. It seems no matter where you turn you find anger. Talk shows, news reports, blog posts, and general conversations have been taken over by anger. I can’t even enjoy social media anymore because instead of cute kid pics, funny pet snaps, typical “this is what I’m eating” logs, random observations, and more, I’m bombarded with post after post of rants, insults, threats, and negativity. In all honesty, it has been more than I could bear.
I think what has bothered me the most is how my fellow Christians have responded to “these uncertain times.”
Where is the love, my friends?
It seems to be a forgotten afterthought.
I know 2020 has been tough, and we are MORE than over all the changes. But why have we forgotten love?
Because it’s been a hard year?
Because we love/hate our leaders?
Because we insist on wearing/don’t want to wear masks?
Because we want freedom?
Because we want safety?
Because our political views are more important than our neighbors?
Because differing opinions are no longer allowed?
Anger over various issues is beginning to spill over into all our interactions, and it’s creating a pandemic all its own. Because when we allow ourselves to become consumed by the anger we carry, loving others becomes an afterthought. And when loving others becomes an afterthought, we have failed to complete the very mission that God has given us.
John 13:34-35 says, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Our love for others is a genuine display of our love for Christ. But too often lately, I watch fellow Christians rip into others for differing opinions, put others down for opposite viewpoints, threaten others when they don’t get their way, and more. If this makes my heart sad, I can only imagine how Jesus feels.
To quote a child from a Sunday morning small group, “Loving people is hard!” But it is a commandment we were given specifically, and I’m certain God knew that it would be difficult at times. As people, we are far from perfect and created with differences and varying passions on purpose. God knew that we wouldn’t always see eye to eye. He knew we would have varied opinions. But as Christians, he has called us to love despite these differences.
Ephesians 4:2-3 says, “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”
Our love for others should make allowances for our differences. No, we don’t have to agree with others, accept their viewpoints as our own, or like the choices that they make. But our love for others should unite us and bring us together even when we disagree.
For many, choosing love over anger is a sacrifice. To choose to love someone who sits opposite from you on an issue can feel like giving up. As Americans, we are blessed to live in freedom. Our constitution guarantees our freedoms, and many of our own family members have fought or continue to fight for that freedom. Fighting for our freedom and rights has been an issue throughout this pandemic. It doesn’t take much for someone to get fired up.
Galatians 5:13-15 says, “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.”
I love my freedom, and I love my country. But when my demands of freedom become so laced in anger that I lose my love for my fellowman, I’ve lost my way.
Look around, it’s hard to find the love these days. Many people have lost their way, and as Christians, many of us are right there in the middle of the “biting and devouring” that we can see all around us.
Where is the love?
I Corinthians 13:1-3 says, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
As Christmas draws near and time is spent celebrating with those we love and enjoy, spend some time thinking about how you could love those that aren’t on your nice list. Instead of wondering where all the love has gone, start loving others as Jesus would have you do. We lose nothing by loving more because through love we can make the biggest difference in our homes, our churches, our communities, our state, our country, our world.
“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”- 1 Peter 4:8
RESOURCES: