We are living in a day when Christians need to get back to basics. The very basic foundation of all Christian ministry is LOVE. If we do not build our lives and ministries around that love, then no matter how spiritual we think we are, we are missing the mark. In 1 Corinthians 13 we are told that it is possible for us to develop our spirituality to such extent that we can “speak with the tongues of men and of angels . . . can function in the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge . . . and all faith, so that we could remove mountains . . . bestow all our goods to feed the poor . . . and give our body to be burned”. . . yet if we do not have love ~ God’s kind of love ~ we are nothing! All of those ministries named are excellent ministries, but God’s ministries can only function with the one true motivation, which is“Love for God being demonstrated in genuine love for people.” Here is the amazing thing about these verses. It is possible to separate our spiritual giftings from the need to love people. We can actually come to a place of understanding all mysteries and knowledge and faith, and yet, at the same, be absolutely nothing . . . useless, worthless in eternal values! We can be so “heavenly minded that we are of no earthly use!”

The question has to be asked: “Why do we struggle so much to love people?” The main reason why we have become Christians is because “God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus!” (John 3:16). And His commandment to us today is: “That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Jesus repeated a similar statement in John 16:12-14, 17: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you . . . These things I command you, that you love one another.”

It does not matter how much Bible knowledge we may or may not have, what titles or degrees we may have in front of, or behind our name, how big a church we may pastor or attend, what gifts we can function in, etc. IF we are not genuinely loving our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, then we are missing the mark! We are nothing! And nothing, no matter how many times you try to multiply it, always comes to nothing! Biblically speaking, Christianity is not about meetings, worship, singing or buildings ~ it is all weighed up in the light of how much we love one another. This has got to be very challenging to each one of us, because we are living in a “love-starved” generation. That means that Jesus has each one of us Christians here in this world right now to be a part of the answer and not part of the problem. The answer is loving people. More importantly, people need our love. How can they know how to receive love if Christians do not know how to give it?! (When was the last time you told someone you loved them?) People love to be loved! You love to be loved and so do I!

With regards Jesus’ commandment to love one another, we are all on equal footing. The challenge is to all of us to work on our relationships one with the other, and to let the love of Jesus shine forth from us in an open and powerful way. The love we’re talking about is the love of Jesus. His love has shined in our hearts, but we must allow His love to penetrate through every resistance and barrier within us to liberate us to become the free distributors of His love into the lives of others. People change for the better when they know they’re loved and accepted! ~ Rodney W. Francis.

 Bible  Readings:  1 John 3  1 John 4 John 15; 1 Corinthians 13 John 13:34-35

Please Pray This Prayer:

“Dear God, I come to You in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I ask You to teach me how to love people more than I do. Help me to keep short accounts with others, to practice forgiveness, and to be motivated powerfully by Your great love, and to serve You faithfully day by day. Help me to see that all ministry, without love for people, produces nothing! In Jesus' name, I pray these things. Amen."

The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry,  New Zealand. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.