Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don't want what you have- I want you. After all, children don't provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children. I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, and even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.- 2 Corinthians 12:14-15 (New Living Translation)
During a recent sermon my Pastor preached, he said something that stuck out to me. It was not the main topic of his message, but the one line struck something on the inside of me. He said, "You love, you get hurt, you get healed. That's why you have Jesus."
So often we hold our love hostage, afraid to share with people out of fear of being hurt. Once we feel the pain, we decide it's not worth loving if pain is the result, so we pick and chose whom to love and to what extent to love them. After hearing the statement my Pastor shared, I began to ask God about this. Is it really that simple? Can I just learn to love trusting you will perfect all things concerning me in the end? Should I love even though this person has shown me no signs of loving me in return? Do I put my heart out there knowing there is a good chance it will be crushed? If so, will You heal me of ALL pain?
All of those questions led me to the scripture listed above. When Paul visited the church at Corinth, he did not go because in the past they had showered him with love and kindness. He did not go because he expected to be loved AFTER this visit. He did not go looking to be loved and accepted. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He went with NO expectation of the people whatsoever! His desire was to see the people of God grow in the knowledge of God and in their relationship with the Savior. He was willing to mortgage his own life and all that he had knowing full well that the more love he showed the less he'd receive. His purpose for showing love was not attached to his own destiny, desires, wants, or needs. He went out of obedience to God with no regard for what the people gave him in return. He loved purely and unselfishly, from a place outside of his flesh. How can we achieve this perspective? How can we love despite the pain and lack of love in return?
When we speak of love from this perspective, it is not an emotion to be felt from a natural standpoint. It is not the love we have towards our family and friends. It is the love that only God can pour into our hearts. It supersedes all human intellect and reasoning. It is not something we can conjure up or develop. To love God's people enough to be willing to mortgage your own life though they show you no love in return, you must be IN love with God. When we fall in love with Jesus, He teaches us to love. He becomes the teacher, and we the pupils. With out His vital tutorial, it is impossible for us as humans to love one another the way He desires for us to love. Human love is based on emotion, relationship, give and take, how well we "get along", reciprocation of said love, and on some level although it may be just a trace of a slither, how much we may have to gain from that love. God's love on the other hand has nothing to do with any of that. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The harder we run away from Him, turn our backs on Him, ignore Him, and shun Him, the more grace and mercy He shows us. The harder he goes "after" us to love us into the fold. Hence Jesus' teaching regarding leaving the 99 sheep to go after the 1 (Matthew 18:11-13). The shepherd rejoices more over the 1 than the 99 that never went astray! Doesn't that say something about God's love towards us?
God's love toward us is so pure, it can't be understood from an intellectual or emotional standpoint. To "know" it, you must experience it in your spirit. You must walk with God and allow Him to reveal the truth of His love to you. There are many instances when God shows us portions of the magnitude of His love towards us. To see them, we must quiet our surroundings and yield to His promptings. There is so much He desires to teach us. Our job as the pupil is to remain available and focused during our tutorial sessions! No daydreaming when class is in session!
Returning back to the original question, should I give love expecting to receive it in return? Absolutely not. I give love knowing that just as there have been times that I have not returned Jesus' love towards me, there will be times when others will not return my love towards them. I can not love from my emotional human nature. I must love from my spirit with NO natural emotional attachment. We can not be "emotionally" invested in people. We must look at this from a heavenly perspective, and ask God to help us love the pure spirit despite the polluted actions. A concept that seems difficult for most to understand, is so easily understood after time is spent gleaning from the Master Professor. To further understand this, one must go to God for personal direction, revelation, and conviction. It's not enough that another human tells you to love, you must get your own marching orders from the Father. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. If you desire to love from a pure place, seek to love the Father, and He will teach you to love your neighbors!
God bless you all!!!
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