Love Never Fails

This week I have thought a great deal about how truly difficult it is to really love others. Loving people like I am supposed to is a very hard thing. In English we use the word "love" to encompass many things. We use it to talk about clothes, candy, cars, people, etc.  In the Greek language there are 4 words that mean love:

• philia - the love of close friends or brothers         
• storge - the love of family
• eros - carnal or sexual love
• agape - love which seeks the highest good of others; not just friends, family, or brethren, but even enemies       

Agape love is the one that is commanded of us.  It:

• Does not depend upon the one being loved as having earned such love
•  Is not an exclusive love (brothers only), but an all-embracing benevolence
•  Is not an uncontrolled reaction of the heart, but a concentrated exercise of will
•  Is a caring love, one which becomes involved in the needs of others

A simple definition of agape love would be "active good will".

Lately, I have had to remind myself quite often that God has commanded me to obey Him by loving others His way.  In that command, He has not promised me that others will show me gratitude for it, or listen to me, or take my advice or help. There are many things I will do for others that will feel like a waste of time. People will wad up my hard work and my love and throw it away. But one thing that has kept me going this week are those 3 little words in the beginning of 1 Corinthians 13:8. I have said "Love never fails" to myself many times these past few days.

Why does "love never fail?"  It never fails because even if others do not catch the love I put out there, God does. The love I show others will never be wasted because He sees, He appreciates, He catches it.

God has called us to be lovers and we frequently think that He meant us to be saviors.  So we “love” as long as we see “results.”  We give of ourselves as long as our investments pay off, but if the ones we love do not respond; we tend to despair and blame ourselves and even resent those we pretend to love.  Because we love someone, we want them to be free of addictions, of sin, of self- and that is as it should be.  But it might be that our love for them and our desire for their well-being will not make them well. And, if that is the case, their lack of response no more negates the reality of love than their quickness to respond would confirm it.

-Rich Mullins

I will not try to take His job. He is in the business of changing lives, not me. I will listen to His calling. I will not resent others when they do not listen to me or clap for me and say, "thank you."  I will show active goodwill.  I will go out of my way to help others when He calls me to do it. I will continue to love even when I don't see results because I know that LOVE NEVER FAILS!!

Lover not a Savior,
Amy