What’s It All About?

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

What is really important in the Christian life? 

Is it that we live up to a set of rules to inspire others to live that way? Or to show that we are different and therefore better? Is our Christian life all about having the correct interpretation of the scriptures? Is it about imposing a Christian morality on society so that people will be good? 

Or is it really about love? And not just the love that is easy to understand, but the kind of love that goes beyond that, the love that Jesus gave, taught and demonstrated. His death on the cross shows a love that goes beyond what would be considered “normal” or “understandable”. It would be understandable for Him to love those who loved Him and hate those who hated Him. But He went beyond the normal. 

Those of us who have been touched by that demonstration of grace have probably been changed by that love in a way that is hard to describe. This goes beyond keeping rules, imposing morality or having correct interpretation of scripture. This is power. I think a lot of us have begun to hold this love in a higher place than the other things we thought were important in Christianity. It’s the kind of love that doesn’t hate its enemies. 

As we hold this divine love in its highest regard, maybe we will learn to show that love and give that love to a world that we are coming to see the same way our Father sees the world. Yes, the world is committing some ugly deeds, horrors, evils, and it takes the divine love, the kind of love that has been poured out into our hearts by God’s Spirit to deal with the root of those things. 

I think the world hasn’t seen as much of this love as it could be seeing, because we have buried that love, hidden that love, by exalting the less important things. Instead of being known by the rules we keep, or the morality we are demanding from others, or trying to dominate society simply by winning in politics or culture wars, God has something better. 

God is still loving the world and wants to show it through those who have received such love.This is the kind that can love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who despise us. This will bring about God’s beautiful vision that all the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. 

It’s all about love. Love is where it’s at. As we move deeper into knowing the heart of God, we find divine love is all there is. Love is the center of all things, Creator of all things. And it is this love that is actually still holding everything all together. 

Friend, I’m excited about the next season in Christianity. I think we are in a time where we are actually leaving those childish things behind, and growing up into love, which is really the true image of God Himself. Love will heal the hearts, and healed hearts will make the world a better place. Love never fails.