Walk in Love

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:1,2

I had an aunt who has now passed on, that truly lived this verse. Whenever I read it, I think of her. Aunt Bertha’s life was a portrait of God’s love. She walked and talked love every day of her life. She taught on walking in love every chance she got. I fully believe it was her calling to share, teach and live God’s love to others; she did it so well.

It saddens my heart when I see and hear Christians, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, not loving one another but instead hurting each other in attitude, word or deed. Jesus told his disciples in John 13:34, 35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” How did Jesus say people would know we were his disciples? By how often we go to church? By how much money we give? By serving in many different areas of church? All these things are great, biblical and serve a purpose, but the way everyone knows we belong to Jesus is when we love each other.

When Paul wrote that we are to “walk in love,” he meant for it to be a lifestyle, a way of life, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10). God gave us all strengths, and we all have weaknesses. We are to encourage one another and lift each other up. (Hebrews 10:24, 1 Thessalonians 5:11) We may not all get along like best friends. Some personalities just don’t mesh. That’s OK. There were even some disciples who didn’t quite get along all the time. However, we still have to love each other.

How do we do that? By reading God’s word and asking the Holy Spirit to help us live it out. 1 Corinthians 13 is a wonderful place to start. It tells us what love is and what it is not:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains,but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Philippians 2:1-5 also has a great way to start, with humility. 

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…

Love is not a feeling or an emotion. It is a choice we make. It’s a decision to treat people right and actually care about them. We as Christians should be an example to the rest of the world of what Christ’s love is all about. We are His ambassadors. 2 Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” How can God make his appeal through us, if people don’t see us, the family of God, genuinely loving one another?