Love Like Christ

On my journey back to Christ, I find myself asking what to do first or what to do next.  Which teaching should I follow first?  I was led to this particular topic.  Love.  When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, gave them a new command.  In John 13:34-35, he says “34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When thinking about this verse, the first thing I want clarification on (for lack of a better term) is the “As I have loved you” part.  To command to love as Christ loved at the time, while he was still with his disciples must have seemed like a tall order.  At least it does to me.  And now knowing what Jesus went through for us shortly thereafter, it seems an even taller, impossible order.  Ephesians 5:1-2 clears it up for me by saying “1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” 

To me, this suggests that by “walk in the way of love” it means to make love a part of us or for us to strive to be have a loving nature.  What does the way of love mean?  What is the way of love?  1 Cor 13:4-7 clears that up by telling us that love is patient, kind, it doesn’t envy or boast, its not proud, it doesn’t dishonor others, it is not self seeking, keeps no record of wrongs and does not delight in evil.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.  Walking in the path of love means accepting all of these things and I would go as far as to say that if we strive to love as Jesus loves, all of these things will come.

To me it seems no wonder that, in the same book and chapter before this passage, Paul says that love is more important and means more than all of the knowledge and the abilities to speak in tongues and see prophecies.  Its more important than any action we can do no matter how noble.  If we do anything and not possess love, it means nothing.

To me, before Christ taught his disciples or taught anyone for that matter.  Before he died on the cross.  Before he even came to earth, he loved us.  He loved us to know what he was going to have to do, and did it anyway. 

So we should be.  Before we teach, preach, evangelize, tithe, anything, we need to learn how important it is for us to walk the path of love and what walking that path means.