Love

by Brandy Webb

I believe we all desire to have talents. Who doesn’t want to be talented in something? I know I do. Well, there are many godly talents that we all should have. My past few blogs actually covered some godly talents. But there is one that is the most vital, the most important, talent of love. 

God is love (1 John 4:8), and God is light (1 John 1:5). And if A = B and B = C, then A = C, therefore, Love is light. We are to walk in light and not in darkness. Therefore, we are to walk in love in order to light our path. There are so many scriptures regarding love, and I know we all realize that love is the greatest commandment, to love our God with all our heart and to love each other. However, love is not always easy. It takes God’s Spirit to truly learn the talent of love.

It is easy to love God, and it is easy to love each other within the body. Yet, how about loving our enemies? Loving those who persecute us? Loving them that revile us? Or, how about loving the politicians and praying for them? This is pure love, to love others even if you don’t like them, and even if they don’t “deserve” it. Isn’t that what Christ did for us? Did we deserve His sacrifice? Do we deserve His Love?

How are we to love? Let’s look at the best description of what love is—1 Corinthians 13:4-8:

“Love is patient and kind.” Therefore, when I’m in the middle of something and someone needs me to help them, love helps willingly and kindly. It doesn’t say it is too busy or helps while grumbling. 

“Love does not envy or boast.” This means that love doesn’t look for the “pat on the back.” It doesn’t seek credit for doing good. It doesn’t seek the limelight. 

“Love is not arrogant or rude.” Does that mean I have to actually watch what I say to others and how I treat them even when I don’t like them? Yes, we have to actually strive to be civil towards others in our speech, in our actions, and especially on social media. We are to be Christ’s ambassadors, His representatives; therefore, we have to try to act like He does.

“Love does not insist on its own way.” There goes the whole “the world revolves around me” attitude. We can’t expect to have a life where we get everything we want, not if we want to walk in love.

Love “is not irritable or resentful.” Therefore, you can’t hold grudges against people who have wronged you. You have to let it go and forgive. It also means that all this resentment between churches because of splits is not justified. In fact, it is against God because it is not love.

The last few traits:

It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (emphasis mine).

The point is, love is powerful, unselfish, giving, truthful, and eternal. We all are to have this talent. It may need some polishing. It may need some nurturing to grow a little more, but we all have to have love in order to be called God’s children.

Let us work together in love, building up the body of Christ, helping each other to mature our talents in the Spirit, edifying each other, and glorifying our Father and Messiah—so that we can stand firm in our faith and endure to the end.