Love endures with discernment

 

Last night we watched a television episode where one of the characters wanted to be helpful. She was in a dangerous situation but without experience or training she did not realize the danger or her vulnerability. She just wanted to help and nearly died because of her ignorance. The word ‘childlike’ comes to mind. Even though this was fiction and acting, I gripped my seat and hoped she would not be harmed.

Today’s devotional is about love enduring when in incredible opposition. The character in the TV show was in that situation, but her endurance was ambition, not love. She was not concerned for the well-being of those who threatened her as well as being oblivious to the danger. Her situation was the opposite of what the NT describes as love:

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)

The example given is Stephen who preached the Gospel but was hated for it. His enemies stoned him to death and as he fell, he cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60).

Without love, most people would never forgive or ask God to forgive, but Stephen followed the example of Jesus who prayed while dying on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Jesus had good reason to endure and I am to do the same . . .

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1–4)

For me, loving others is often a sacrifice of time, energy, or resources. It involves believing the best about others and trusting God to work out any complicating issues. For instance, someone is demanding my attention to meet her needs the way she wants them met. I’m relying on Jesus to help me sort that out. Is it love to do what she wants done? Or are those demands confusing the instructions from the Holy Spirit as to how God wants me to respond? I do realize that I must love her and not do wrong toward her:

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For 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 word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:8–10)

I also know that love comes from the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 and Galatians 5:22 make that clear. It is also normal Christian behavior:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:7–10)

This love is to be “earnest and from a pure heart” and a love that puts a ‘roof over’ the sin of others. (1 Peter 1:22; 4:8) It is part of how I demonstrate my love for God.

At the same time, the people of His day wanted Jesus to show the love of God to them by setting them free from Roman rule. Instead, He set them free from sin, getting to the bottom line of their need and not going along with them telling Him how to love them. This clarifies my confusion. I must listen to what the Lord is telling me concerning the greatest need of others. It may be what I’m being asked to do, but because the request seems very selfish, God very likely has another plan.

PRAY: Jesus, I asked for clarification on this puzzle and You have shown me that love is not blind or ignorant or based on what I think or what needy people think. You gave me this verse days ago that says my “love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9), so my prayer is for greater understanding of what is going on with this person so I know what You are wanting me to do that is the best way to express Your love for her.

PONDER: Pay attention to the Holy Spirit and to the above Scripture as well as to what people say about their needs. Make sure no selfishness is involved, especially in me.