1John 4:7
7Beloved, If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Several
weeks ago I was serving at an event. I had stopped to take a break.
While there, a younger man approached me. He appeared to be a student.
We spoke for a few minutes. Then he asked, "Why are you so happy?" I
immediately responded, "because of Jesus." He retorted, "Wow. You didn't
even hesitate." I said, "No. Why would I?" He proceeded to name other
reasons. What I didn't know at the time was it was a test. The young man
already knew Jesus. He played as though he didn't know Jesus to see
what I would say to evangelize someone. But within five minutes he let
it slip out that he studied the Bible. He said he goes around and asks
questions to see what people know. He admitted that he had newly come
into Christ and had been vigorously studying the Word.
We had a great conversation. The younger man said he would return to speak more. Upon his return, when he
learned
something that was not advantageous to him he began to interrogate. As
to say that others faulted where he succeeded. At any rate, as he began
to ask who would go to heaven and who wouldn't, I noticed something the
Lord showed me in the first conversation. I refused to engage in the
conversation further and stopped with the following, "Jesus said the
greatest commandment was to love God with all our heart and our minds
and the second is like it which is to love thy neighbor." I politely
looked him straight in his eyes and said, "As you continue to grow in
Christ, you will learn this my friend, love first, salvation second." He
wanted to debate. I said there is no debate. Be blessed and proceeded
to go back to serving.
The Great Commission Jesus gave
applies to all of us which is to evangelize. However, the main
ingredient is love. The chapter most quoted about love says without love
you have nothing. When the adulterous woman was brought to Jesus for
condemnation, did he condemn her? No. He simply used love as the way to
reach her. Yes, knowledge and salvation are important. But if we, as the
body of Christ, cannot show people love, what reason do they have then
to accept salvation? The true meaning behind salvation is love. Leading
with love leads to salvation. It's great to have Biblical knowledge and
yes the Word says we are to study and show ourselves approved. However,
the word also says that if we say we love God but do not love our
brother then we are not being truthful. God is love as the Word says but
God is also truth.
Maslowe's
Hierarchy of Needs in psychology says that love is one of the most
basic need that every human being has just as water, food and shelter.
God created us that way. Unfortunately, so many lack love to the point
they think they are unlovable. So if you don't love you, and the word
says to love thy neighbor as thyself, then the result is many treat
others the way they've been treated or the way they see themselves.
Hence the manifestation of abuses such as sexual abuse/assault,
physical/domestic abuse, verbal or emotional abuse, spiritual abuse,
financial abuse, reproductive abuse, manipulation, etc. None of these
abuses conveys love. They actually convey a desperate need for help and
resolution. However, lacking love does not justify the shedding/harming
of innocent blood whether in the natural or in the spirit. We ALL have
access to love. That love is God, if only we would seek. Love first. If
you don't know how, God can and will show you if you seek.
