Drawing Lines to Love
“But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5)
The whole purpose of Christian doctrine, according to Paul, is to love well. This is the aim or goal for why we learn about God. It is the end-point of theology. If learning doesn’t lead to loving, then it is useless.
Hence, every aspect of life ought to be based on love. Everything that you do should tie back to love in some way. If what you are doing isn’t based on love, then you probably shouldn’t be doing it.
This is what Jesus said in Mark 12, when he was asked about the greatest commandment:
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
“The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
What Jesus is saying is this: your entire existence should be focused on love – first to God, and then to man. Your purpose on earth is to love well. And true love will employ every fiber of your being.
How do we translate this lofty ideal to reality?
One way is by taking inventory of what we do. Can you draw a line (directly or indirectly) to love? Some of these lines are easy to draw.
> Worshipping God with the church is directly connected to loving God.
> Serving your family is directly connected to loving your neighbor.
But too often, even these ‘direct connections’ are done with mixed or false motives. How often do you worship God or serve your family out of mere obligation or a desire to obtain something for yourself, rather than out of genuine love?
It is at just that point that you need to be challenged: do it for love.
There are other aspects of your life that are not so easy to draw a line to love:
> You probably think of your job as a way to make money.
> You probably think of your recreation as a way that you are enjoying yourself, ‘taking a break.’
But even these activities do not get a pass. Even if only indirectly, God intends us to love others through activities like these.
If your job benefits people in some way, then reorient your reason for working. You aren’t ultimately working for a paycheck (though that is a legitimate and good thing). Ultimately, your work is a way that you are serving others and serving God. Do it for those reasons, and then be grateful that you get a paycheck as you serve others.
Your recreation shouldn’t just be for yourself. If you are worn out and need to relax, then do it in order to better serve others. Again, the motivation is what matters. Rather than focusing on yourself and your own enjoyment, even your recreation should be done as a form of worship to God (praising him for his kindness to you) and preparation to better serve and love others.
In short, draw a line between every activity that you are doing, and God’s commandment to love. If you can’t draw the line, then you probably shouldn’t be doing it anyways.
“Our religion is a system of love and good will. It manifests not only the unspeakable love of God to a fallen world, but also tends to fill the hearts of men with holy affections towards their Creator and one another. The man whose heart is a stranger to compassion, or cannot adopt the language of ‘being affectionately desirous of you’, is a most unsuitable person to dispense that Gospel every sentiment of which emanates from love…The celestial flame of love must mingle with all our preparations, and burn on every acceptable sacrifice.” (Charles Screven, quoted in Revival and Revivalism, 307).
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