Fruits of the Spirit Series "Love"

     

      What are the fruits of the Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Nine different attributes that "born again" Christians should be producing in their spiritual walk with Christ. Why is this important? Well, depending on your beliefs, this is the framework to making sure you're on the right path in your life. I want to break these fruits down individually and today I want to call to the stand, Love. As a child growing up, I was always told to love everybody no matter what. Through the hate and wrong doing, love. Lies and back stabbing, love. That was the motto. But why? Why is loving people so important? Isn't it easier to just treat them the way they treat you? Hate me? Well I hate you too! It's a lot easier that way but that's not how Christ intended for life to be. With that being said, lets break down "love" and see exactly why it's needed.

     

        Love. It has been identified by most as the most important fruit of the spirit. A powerful word that has been misused and abused in today's society. It's often confused with lust and has also been linked to uncharacteristic behavior that leads to destruction or sinful acts of anger and aggression towards others. The Bible says in 2 John 1:6, that we should "walk in love". What does it look like when someone walks in love? Have you ever met someone or walked past someone and felt good vibes coming from them? Or they spoke to you and you could just tell that it was something about them that felt really positive? I think our soul connects to other souls who have positive attributes like that. We've gotten away from those positive things. As a society, we're straying further and further away from God's love. God gave his only begotten Son for us, that's God's love. Can you imagine giving up your only child to die, for a world of people to live? People who you knew would one day turn away from you? If that isn't the purest example of love, I don't know what is. Besides that, God is love. He embodies love as a whole. 

       Lets talk about the love of sacrifice. It brings to mind different acts of valor and the Medal of Honor, which is the highest award a soldier can receive if I'm not mistaken. It's a very honorable and courageous thing to do. I appreciate and respect every person that's willing to fight for their country and lay their life on the line, whether on the battlefield or in a different situation where you sacrifice your life for someone. However, a lot of people have confused sacrificing with the love of God. How so? Well, giving and sacrificing for others is a great act. It's something we are supposed to do and do so willingly. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you have the love of God by doing that. In Corinthians 13:3, Paul says," And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing". That's how important love is. I can give the ultimately sacrifice of my life and have it mean nothing because of my lack of love? According to God's word, yes. So how can we fix this? How can we develop the love of God? In my opinion, there are steps we have to take. We must first believe that there is a God. We have to study and know for ourselves. We must have an understanding that "whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him", as stated is 1 John 2:5. There has to be a transformation inside of us that understands that the love of God that is manifested for us through his Son's death, is the same love that manifests further more because of His resurrection. Godly love is expressed in how we should strive to live like Him everyday.

    To sum this up, I can see why love is believed to be the most important fruit of the Spirit. It's basically the most important reason why we exist today. Without love, God would never have sent His Son to die for us. 1 Corinthians 13 explains exactly what love is."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 in truth. It always, protects, it always trusts, it always hopes, it always perseveres". That's what love is to me.