This morning I was remembering how it was when I read the scriptures and just believed. That was back before I was told that we talked too much about love in the church. Back then when I read, “Love one another” in red letters, I believe that Christians loved one another. As a very young man, I loved the Psalms and the four gospels; and I just believed. I could see David caring for the sheep, and writing poems to God, and later taking care of a nation and still writing poems to God. Then I was taught that love wasn’t really love, but something hard like a whipping with a paddle board; love was administered with a rod of iron across your back. Agape is selfless love, but something got lost in the translation. My heart knew better, but what about all the people telling me I would understand when I was a little older.
Well I am a little older, and I still do not understand what they said I would. To me Jesus was sent because God so loved the world. When He said “love one another as I have loved you,” he wasn’t hitting anyone with a paddle board or a rod. Instead He was getting ready to take a whipping; from a governor that wanted to set Him free, because of a bunch of religious people who didn’t want to love one another. Jesus told us to love God; but when we couldn’t love Him He forgave us and said, “One command I give you, love one another.” Jesus let us beat Him to fulfill our need to give hard love. Jesus gave Agape love. Jesus took the whipping for you and me. If we are the body of Christ, why do we fell like we have to whip everyone else; that wasn’t how Jesus loved. Why can’t we love as He loved and still loves us?
Maybe I should try to understand. If it is no longer I that live but Christ in me, if I love myself it is Agape because I really love Christ. But Jesus said, “Love one another, as I have loved you.” You are the body of Christ, so by loving myself (who is dead, and Christ alive) I really love you. That might work in a double talk kind of way. But Jesus said, “… as I loved you.” Jesus didn’t love Himself in order to love us. He loved us enough to come into this world as Jesus, and die for us to have life. But, He knew He would come back from the dead. Would you take a beating and be nailed to a tree, even if you knew you would be back alive in three days? Sorry people who want me to understand; I still do not see it the way you say it is. I still believe that God is love.
Does that mean I do not believe in trials and tribulations? No! I believe all too much in trials and tribulations. But, I believe they come because we (as a world) do not believe what God has told us. Some trials come because we live in a world with unbelievers; and some because we still have some unbelief (to help our unbelief). Jesus loved and was without sin, but still had trails and tribulations. Jesus believed God to the point of doing what He saw and heard from God. Trails and tribulations can come from the world around us, when we believe. If you love the way Jesus asked us to, you will have trails – your heart will get broken. Jesus was stabbed in the heart by someone He was beaten to heal and on the cross to forgive.
Today is a new day, and God has renewed me in this day. No longer will I try to understand the teachings of those who tell me their definition of Agape. When I read the scriptures I will believe what the Spirit of God is revealing. I choose to believe that God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) loves me. Today I ask God to break off any evil spirit that has attached itself to the words spoken against the love of God in my life. God is love. God dwells in me – love dwells in me. Now how do I deal in love with those who do not believe God is love? How do I deal with those who not believe in God as a Father, a Brother, and a Spirit producing love – because He is love? Just the way Jesus said. We are all the one another. I am going to just believe and love.
© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.