In the previous messages I shared briefly on the absence of love, then on the presence of love, and in today's message I'd like to speak about the importance of love and making it a priority.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (AMP)
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.
Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. And now there remains: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.
Taken from the above passage, we find that if we possess all knowledge, have faith that can move mountains, give all our possessions to feed the poor - even give up our bodies to be burned ... it all means nothing if we don't have love (or do it in love)
To expand further, I'm sure there are many people that desire to grow and develop their relationship with God, maybe to grow in how they exercise their faith, want their prayers to be more effective, read the bible more consistently, desire to see the gifts of the Spirit operate in their life and also want to share the gospel with more people, and I'm sure there may be many other examples of this - and there's nothing wrong with that - in fact it's great that there's a desire to want to experience more with God and be more effective in His kingdom ... but what the above passage highlights is that while all of those things just mentioned may be great to want to accomplish, how high up on that list of things is seeking to excel at loving others? ... When going through our daily prayers/requests to God, do we mention that we want to walk in love with those around us, that we want the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) to be on display in our lives for others to see?
That passage challenges us concerning the priority that love holds in our lives and how effective we are at pursuing it. That it's not enough to desire spiritual growth in all the other areas and yet neglect to develop in how we love others.
If I loved you as the passage describes, then I wouldn't want to steal from you, I wouldn't lie to you, I wouldn't want to cause you or your family any harm. Rather, I'm thinking of ways that I can be a blessing to you, how I can help you, etc. out of a sincere and compassionate heart, not doing so to get something in return ... Can we see how a simple commandment to love can make such a massive impact on how people treat each other and the positive impact it can have on family relationships, relationships within a neighbourhood, within a city, between countries … all by doing what God commanded:
Romans 13:8-10 (AMP)
Owe nothing to anyone except to love and seek the best for one another; for he who [unselfishly] loves his neighbor has fulfilled the [essence of the] law [relating to one’s fellowman]. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law.
It's with this in mind that we can see why satan is working so hard to come against what God instituted/commanded. In the below passages the bible describes what people will be like in the last days. Here we can see that the commandment to love will come under attack and be neglected:
2 Timothy 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Matthew 24:3-14
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
I take it that the enemy knows how important this commandment is and the power/effect it can have on the Earth and that's why we see an attack on personal relationships the way we do, to the point where it reaches the scenarios described above. This further demonstrates to us how important this topic is and why we need to be vigilant in this area and trust God that we don't succumb to the above but rather seek to excel in loving others the way God does.
The below passages give us an indication on the priority love should hold in our lives:
Jesus commands us to love others! - 1 John 3:23 (NKJV)
He says people will know that we are His disciples by the love we have for one another! - John 13:34-35 (AMP)
The bible says that though we can possess all knowledge, understand all mysteries, prophecy, have faith, give all our possessions away to the poor, etc. That if we don't have love - we are nothing! - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (AMP)
That love is the fulfillment of the law! - Romans 13:8-10 (AMP)
That he who does not love, does not know God! - I John 4:7-11 (NKJV)
I trust that this message has helped to demonstrate the importance of love and the need for us to place this high up on our priority list and to encourage others to do the same.
Amen