Saturday, December 3, 2016

Love's Many Manifestations and Dimensions

UV 2139/10000 Love’s Many Manifestations and Dimensions
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up
I Corinthians 13 v 4

Both lust and love are four letter words but lust has only one meaning while love has a million inner meanings and manifestations. The call of faith is the transformation from the confines of lust to the refinement of love. Lust is the dross or impurities in the love of our hearts. Love manifests in showing consideration for those who are weaker. Love manifests in patience with people and exercising patience in our circumstances. Love manifests in our attitudes and our actions. Love shows up in how we listen to people. Love is seen in our motives as well as our behaviour. Love is demonstrated in our ability to suffer for others, our willingness to make small and big sacrifices for those we love.

Love for the motherland is shown in the soldier being willing to die for his nation. Love for God is seen in the willingness to live for Him. Love for humanity is shown in the service we render to others who might be not related to us in any way. Love for animals and all creatures is seen in the kindness shown in feeding and caring for them. Love for one’s spouse is shown in tolerance for weaknesses, acceptance and forgiveness. Love for one’s family is seen in working hard for providing for the family not just in material terms but in terms of spiritual leadership, commitment, thoughtfulness. Love for friends is manifested in spending time with them, in sharing one’s life, joys, sorrows and burdens with them. Love for self is seen in doing one’s best in everything one attempts.

God’s love for us is the perfect love or agape love. He gives His all and His best to us in Jesus and yet expects little or nothing in return except our faith and commitment. He does not wait for us to love Him. He first loves us. He shows His love in His provision, His rescue, His protection, His blessing upon our lives, His counsel, His grace. Our model of love that we need to study, understand, meditate and emulate is the love of Jesus. He showed His love by being egoless with His disciples while the latter jostled to prove who is the greatest among them, He made Himself who is all powerful, mighty and sovereign like a slender reed. He demonstrated His love by washing the feet of the apostles. He showed His love by beckoning children to Him and cradling them in His lap, extolling their simplicity, innocence and childish faith. He showed His love by forgiving His enemies, forgiving those who cruelly and mercilessly condemned and crucified Him, forgiving the adulteress condemned to death by stoning. He showed His love by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, promising paradise to the thief on the cross. We can love only by learning from the love of God in Christ. We can fill the many gaps in our love with the agape love of Christ.

Prateep V Philip

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