The Greatest of These is Love

Today is Valentine’s Day—a day of love; a day of romantic love. The biggest romancer of all time is God. If you take the time to read the Bible from cover to cover, you find a God passionately in love with His people, giving them gifts and wooing them when they turn away. He compares His relationship with His people to a love affair. His most valuable Valentine to us is His Son, Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we are to pass on the love God has given us—to our fellow Christians, to our neighbours, to the poor, to the disenfranchised, to the ugly, even to our enemies. Sadly, we seem to pick and choose who we will love. Consider this statement by Rembert Truluck:

“At a recent home spiritual growth group, the question was asked, "How is Christianity different from all other world religions?" My answer was that Christianity is the only world religion that does not do what it claims to do. All other religions basically do what they claim to do, whether it is honoring ancestors, respecting nature, accepting all religions, or learning the teachings of a great teacher like the Buddha. Christianity claims to follow Jesus in giving and demonstrating God's unconditional love for all people. Christianity, however, does not carry out that claim and denies it in countless churches, councils, denominations, radio and television preachers, and a steady flow of books, magazines, and web sites.”

What a sad indictment! Is it true? One blogger tells the story of a Christian school that received an application for a kindergarten student. When the principal realized that the child is being raised by a gay couple he told the child’s parents, “his [the child’s] home life is an abomination against God and that if [the child] was to attend DCA, he would be taught that he comes from a sinful family and subject to the ultimate punishment from God.” The blogger asks, “Whatever happened to ‘let the little children come to me?’” What indeed?

In another blog entry the same blogger writes,

“When a friend of mine at a ultra-conservative college in Southern California was discovered to be gay (they read his email), they hauled him on stage in chapel and demanded he admit it, apologize and repent. (He opted for instant, public expulsion.)

“When my Beau came out to his parents, they paraded the fact in front of every family member; forcing him out of the closet with a hot firebrand rather than letting him tell his story appropriately and timely. It set off a three week marathon of every family member coming over to tell him how selfish and wrong and cruel he was being and that he was going to hell.”

Where is the love that’s supposed to be the hallmark of Christianity? Why is it that by some people, Christianity is seen as a religion of hate, anger and judgment? Why is it that some who call themselves Christian see persecution of a certain group of people justifiable and righteous? May God forgive us!

If a gay couple came into your church and openly held hands through the service, how would YOU respond? How would the rest of the congregation? The church elders? The pastor? Would they be welcome or would you expect them to be “cleaned up” before they walked through your doors? Do you expect the same of other sinners?

There are three things that will endure – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13