Because of who we are in Christ; love should be our beacon of hope lighting the world around us. We need to be Perfected in Love by God’s love filling and transforming our hearts. Our lives should reflect the same sacrificial, forgiving love that presents Christ to the world.
Paul wrote to the Colossians advising them to put off anger, malice, wrath, vulgar communications, lying, and blasphemous language. These negative attitudes represent the filthy rags of our sin. Casting them aside we are to then put on the cloak of righteousness that we are given by Jesus Christ through His redemptive work on the Cross. When we look at the Grace and love which He provided us; we recognize how we are supposed to behave toward others. When we remember His love toward us, we are humbled by the magnitude of His love, our unworthiness, and His Grace. Paul continues as he wrote to the Church of Colossae.
COLOSSIANS 3:12-14
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
EXAMPLE AND POWER OF CHRIST IN OUR ABILITY TO LOVE
We are to love and forgive others; as Christ did us. Remember, He gave His life for us while we were yet sinners who despised Him. It was His Sacrificial love that accepted us as we were; knowing, that overtime He would transform our hearts: if only, we believed and accepted that love. He saw who we would become in the Light of His love and chose to love us.
As I have told you before, I learned of this kind of unconditional, self-sacrificing love through my own experience with my husband. God needed to show me the depth of His love for me; therefore, He allowed me to see Pete through God’s eyes of love. I could always see the heart of a man who had been broken by life. Because of that I loved Pete despite the moments of harsh abuse. It was as if God was continuously revealing to me the truth of who Pete would be. During those years, I suffered great sorrow at moments; however, in the end when I realized that Pete had found Christ as His Savior, I saw the Majestic Hand of God through it all. God was working to perfect my heart in love: while, at the same time bring Pete to the place of saving faith in Him.
I realized that my ability to love Pete with that depth was super human and came about because of Christ’s love for me, in me. Furthermore, I realized that if God could cause this fragile human heart of mine to love unconditionally; how much more was His unconditional love for me.
ON THE ROAD TO GETHSEMANE
As Jesus walked toward Gethsemane, He prayed. During that prayer, Jesus revealed the heart and soul of why God created and loved mankind. He had created us so that He might shower upon us His love, fill us with His Joy, and to bestow upon us a part of His Glory. This is part of that prayer:
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:22-23
Jesus said that He gave all who believe in Him, Glory. Not that I or You are glorious in our own right. Certainly, that is not true. I have nothing of which I could Glory. One of God’s most glorious acts is the Salvation of one soul. Yet, He does not need me or my testimony to bring someone to Christ. When He does use my life and my testimony to lead someone to Christ; He is sharing His Glory with me. Even if I am so unworthy. He goes on to say that we, as His Redeemed Children; are made perfect in Him and in that perfection our life reflects His love for us through love to the rest of the world.
I JOHN 4:15-19
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.We love him, because he first loved us.
perfected in LOVE displays the gospel
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. I John 4:12
- Our greatest testimony of the Gospel message is demonstrated when in genuine humility, we perform acts of selfless love and forgiveness to the world around us unconditionally.
- When we remember the truth of the gospel, we find it easy to forgive others of the most outrageous acts we could have never done before.
- Some of our greatest demonstrations of love are those done with no hope of any recognition or recompense for our gift here on earth.
- Let us love one another, as Christ loved us; seeking the good of the other over our own comfort.
CONCLUDING TWEETS:
[bctt tweet=”Because of who we are in Christ; love should be our beacon of hope lighting the world around us.” username=”effiedarlene”]
[bctt tweet=”When I consider God’s Gracious Love toward me; then random acts of kindness become my way of life” username=”effiedarlene”]
[tweetthis]God indwelling Christ, indwelling me perfects my heart in love.[/tweetthis]
[bctt tweet=”Once perfected in love; I no longer act out of need love; rather, I act out of Agape Love.” username=”effiedarlene”]
Picture by permission of goodsalt.com/Lars Justinen
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.