Love's Looking Good on You

"Beloved, let us love one another. For love comes from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does love, does not know God for God is love." -1 John 4:7-8

So everyone knows what today is. Some love it, some hate it, some refuse to acknowledge it, and some embrace it as "Single Awareness Day." Whatever category you fit into, know first of all that you are loved. I can almost guarantee that there is someone on this earth who you mean the world to, and even if there is not, God loves you more than you can ever imagine.

So for Valentine's Day I received a gift from a special friend. This gift was a Bible Dictionary. I have been flipping through it often, checking out the maps, time lines, pictures, and some of the entries. Today I came across the entry on love. I realize that I wrote a couple weeks ago on love, but its my blog so I can write what I want and I'm writing another one about love.

This entry was discussing the types of love mentioned in the Bible. First there is ahavah which is human love. This is love you might have for yourself, your car, other people. This is the portion of love that we know and, for lack of a better word, love. This is then broken up into eros which is sexual love and passion and phileo which is deep love for a family member or close friend.

Lastly, there is the part of love that we cannot understand, agapo. This is the love that God gives us. As humans we make love something that is mutual. We think, "I'll love so-and-so because they love me" and vice versa. And then on the contrary, it is our sinful nature to think "Why should I love so-and-so? They are a jerk and don't deserve it!" But what would happen if we all tried to love like God? If we all loved those who are unlovable and we loved unconditionally? As Christians, this is what we are called to do, but we choose instead to discriminate against those who are of another race, religion, sexuality, etc. Many even use God's word to beat others to the ground. Now I agree that we should follow specifics in the Bible and that there are people that are "right" and others that are "wrong". But if someone chooses to sin against God in the form of murder, homosexuality, etc, that does not mean that you treat them any less than a human being. God loves them as much as He loves you and me, He died for them, and they are a sinner that is no worse than you and I are. His love is unconditional, unfailing, and everlasting.

On a final note, if someone hates you, the best thing you can do to get back at them is to love them. You may confuse them or the holy spirit may convict them about hurting you, and who knows maybe you'll become friends through that one act of kindness. If not, you saved the energy you would have spent getting back at them.

So the challenge...love those who you think deserve it least because they are often the ones who need it the most.