LOVE TEACHES

2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33; Romans 16:10-27; Psalm 26:1-12; Proverbs 20:19

“When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes…. ‘Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.’”

“And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.”

“Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.”

From now through Easter, my current plan (subject to wherever the Spirit leads) is to do a mini-series on love. Specifically, I will look at love through the microscope of Christ’s Passion to try to decipher all the things Jesus did in the name of love that fateful week, and in the days leading up to it. I’m betting the Scriptures we are scheduled to read may just give us a little additional context for our journey from Bethany to the Cross and beyond. But if not, well then, most of Chronicles is a repeat of Kings anyway, right? So, onward.

One of the most often overlooked and underappreciated things love does begins our trip. Love teaches. In fact, love itself must be taught. It is not a spontaneous reaction, nor is it our natural response to much of anything. Think back to infancy. A child knows nothing of love at first. He or she is all basic needs and desires. A more self-centered time would be hard to imagine. A baby does not worry about being disruptive or inconvenient or even downright annoying. They will do what they can to get what they want when they want it. That’s pretty much all they know. They are impressed from the beginning with a “me first” mentality.

However, if they are fortunate, our little ones begin to understand there is something more than duty that spurs the actions of a parent. Two AM is actually a quite wonderful hour to spend quality time with a baby after their needs have been fulfilled. Not capable of true gratitude, yet, they nonetheless respond to kindness and the sense of safety provision brings. We begin to learn even at that ungodly hour that being with another person is a very good place to be. At the same time, parents begin to see sacrifice in an entirely different light. The child cannot yet express gratitude, but in the solitude of the wee hours, the perceptive mother or father learns again that the point of sacrifice is not to inflate our own egos, but to protect and build up others. Love reminds us that overt rewards and recognition are not necessary; the gift of closeness to another human being is worth our sacrifice. Even as it simply lays in our arms sleeping, a baby gives far more than it takes. Love rewards both parent and child with a personal significance and importance they could never achieve otherwise.

Of course, love teaches us in many other ways as well.  Love teaches right from wrong. Josiah learned a better way to lead his people when the scroll of the Law was found. Again, the way of the Lord obviously is not a course people follow instinctively. The Old Testament is all about the Hebrews learning to come near to God, only to fall away. The fact they did not learn did not mean they were not taught repeatedly. The Spirit and its prophets showed them continually that right is not just right as a moral absolute; right is right because it actually works best for us. Still, we insist on experimenting with our lives, seeking alternatives that we think give us better personal returns, whatever the cost to others. We have to be taught not to be so self-centered.

In a similar vein, as Paul writes, love also teaches us who to befriend, as well as how. We all know people who suck the life out of every relationship they have. There are stark examples of others who just “fell in with the wrong crowd” and came to ruin as a result. Love teaches us a better way to live. Live with those who understand love. Stay away from those who deceive, who teach things other than the lessons of love. They serve no one but themselves. They drain and do not fill. This is not to say we should not love them. Christ’s sacrifice was for all people, particularly those who have forgotten how to love. But Scripture is equally clear that Jesus only called those friends who did as He taught. Love teaches the right kind of friendship. In fact, it’s a prerequisite to all that is good about friendship.

Finally, love teaches us the necessity of self-examination. More specifically, it teaches us to look at our lives the way God does, to submit ourselves to the judgments of the Holy Spirit and accept His prescription for our salvation. In a word, love teaches us to lead our hearts, because even our hearts can be deceived. Love ultimately teaches us it is more a decision that a feeling, more a commitment than an emotion. Surely, those who live on the periphery of love may mistake lesser things for it. But true love, as we experience it, teaches there is no substitute worthy of the name.

As we embark on our journey toward Passion Week, let us each take stock of our lives. Where are we frustrated; where does life just not seem to be working for us like it should? What is preventing us from learning the lessons of love? Christ doubtless has much to teach us in the next ten days or so, and beyond, but He will graciously wait until we are willing to begin our studies. We should start with an honest assessment of ourselves and our behavior. To the extent that what we do does not reflect love and is not motivated by love, we still have much to learn.