I think God wants me to talk about love in this week’s message. While I was trying to figure out what to type, nobigdyl.’s song, “Purple Dinosaur,” started playing. The chorus says, “I love you and/ and you love me, yeah/ that’s how it be, yeah.” On top of this, yesterday, I was lucky to go with a few of my teammates to see Bob Goff preach. This man oozes love and authenticity! If you haven’t seen Bob speak or read his book, Love Does, you are missing out. Listening to or reading what this man has to say will only improve your quality of life.
Bob has a new book coming out on Tuesday called Everybody, Always. Yesterday, he talked about Jesus and what it means to love everybody, always. The big thing that Bob emphasized was that “if we love people without an agenda we will become one. When loving people has an agenda, it’s a program. It isn’t love.”
We are called to love others no matter what they can do for us. We are called to love others even if it doesn’t give us anything in return. When we have an agenda for our love, it is a production to try to reach some end result. Love is not a show or program.
I fall into the trap of treating others nicer or different to try to get something out of the relationship. In some cases, I want others to like me so I can gain something in return. That’s not loving or caring, it is selfish.
“Love is sacrifice and commitment.” Love means doing things that we don’t want to do. Love means that we put others above ourselves. Love is patient when others annoy us.
Love is authentic. “God can’t heal us if we’re faking.” When you love without an agenda, you are authentic. You don’t worry about what other people think. You don’t have an underlying motive driving your care for others. You are just with people. That’s what Jesus did.
Be loving. Love without an agenda. Be with others.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I appreciate you.
-JP