Love
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August 01, 2010 |
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 "[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, [and] endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:7)
If we have love in our hearts, we do not force the other to follow our lifestyles. It's not love if you get disheartened or give up because the others do not accept your heart after your efforts fail. If you put your selfishness, greed or personal zeal first, you cannot bear good fruits even though you do your best for the others. To love is to be patient and to endure for a long time understanding the others' heart. Also, it is to willingly make any kind of sacrifice in the hope of bearing beautiful fruits. If you fulfill your duties with this spiritual love, you can certainly bear good fruits.
In what kinds of aspects do you have to check in order to cultivate spiritual love?
The first aspect is patience.
1 Corinthians 13:7 says that love bears all things and believes all things. Most people have certain limit to their patience. They expect the other person to have changed after they had endured with him to a certain extent. But when they see that the results are not turning out as they expected, they become disappointed.
If you rely on God, you have to wait until you receive the answer with unchanging faith. If you force the other to follow what seems to be good in your view, and then you become impatient thinking you have waited and endured long enough; if you think that by now you should be able to see some kind of results, then this does not involve either faith or love.
If you have love, until that patience reaches the measure that God wants, you will never give up or become disheartened. The same goes with caring for the souls in the parish; evangelizing your spouses or parents; and raising your children in the truth.
The same goes also for sanctifying yourself. Even though you have been faithful and praying for a long time, if you are impatient, you will soon become disappointed. Even though you say you love the Father, you have ups and downs in you faith because you are not patient. If it seems that your goal is not achieved quickly enough or if you encounter some unexpected situations, you lose strength.
If we really love and trust in God, it is not really difficult to be patient. The more time and effort we exert in waiting in patience, God accepts it as deeper aroma and lets us reap more abundant fruits.
The second aspect concerning your love is the attributes of hope and endurance.
1 Corinthians 13:7 says that love hopes all things and endures all things. The apostle Paul could overcome all trials and persecutions because he had seen Heaven, and he had the hope for Heaven. But because he had such a sure hope of the heavenly kingdom, he was able to overcome all those times.
You shouldn't say, "I will endure just a little more because this hardship will soon pass, and this goal will soon be achieved." You shouldn't say, "I can endure in this matter, but not in that matter," or "I can tolerate this person but not that person." You should endure without changing of attitude hoping for the best possible result in all areas and with all people. This is love.
If you view others with hope then each of your words or even just simple facial expression will show your expectation and love to them. You will see and remember their good points. You will recognize them, praise them and encourage them. Then, you will have a strong bond and trust relation with them.
You should be able to understand their heart from their standpoint and their measure of faith. Look at the infinite possibilities that are found in each of them.
Thirdly, you have to cover their faults.
To cover their faults does not mean you just ignore them. It does mean that you have to store up goodness before God until they change. We cannot just change and become sanctified quickly right after we learn the truth and receive God's grace. God has been patient with you for a long time as you have been praying and trying hard to change. So many pastors and workers cared for you and helped you with prayers and fasting.
So, even though they have slipped up and made mistakes, you should cover their faults. You should understand why they couldn't help but do what they did and have mercy on them. But it doesn't mean you can just keep on waiting with the hope that they will somehow change some day. If you really love somebody, you will not just be an onlooker.
If you have true love, you should not just cover their faults but also help them lead a good life in faith. You should plant faith in them. If they go the wrong way, you should advise them and serve them with love. If they are not in a situation that allows for them to listen to your words, it is the time for God to work on them so their heart can change. In order for this to happen, the measure of justice has to be filled. Somebody has to pray for them with tears and repent and fast on their behalf.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Just as 1 Corinthians 13:2 reads, "If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing," I urge you to love each of the precious souls that God entrusted to you with this kind of hope and I pray in the name of the Lord that you will bear abundant fruits of love.
For additional information or to read the message's text in its entirety, please visit Manmin Central Church on the web at www.manmin.org, select the "English" menu, and click on "Words of Life."
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