Christian Family Services Ministry

9-1-2018 – A Word to the Wise:  Many give love in order to receive love. Some would deny this motivate, others would say what difference does it make, love is love.

Not so. Let’s make a comparison. The IRS says if you give to a charity expecting something in return then you shall not acquire a tax deduction. Why? Simply, you are buying something not giving something.

So it is with love if we only love those who love us in return, or are able to able to give us something in return, this is not love, or at least the type of love Jesus had in mind.

Jesus in Luke 6, a part of the famous ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ declares loving those who love you, anyone may do that. But the test for real love is seen in how one treats the unlovable individual. Particularly, this includes one’s enemies. What enemies? I have no enemies.

I have heard this more times than I am able to count. It is not true. We just do not wish to call them our enemies, because once we own a person, or group as our enemies, the demands on us are severe. So by word games we avoid the issue.

Who plays this game? How many times have you heard people say they are divorcing their spouse, ‘but we are still friends?’

Nonsense. Malachi 3 declares that ‘divorce is covering ones garments with violence.’

So what do we do with our enemies? We feed them, clothe them sometimes, but always pray for them and do good to them as often as chance allows.

So what about ‘falling in love.’ It should be clear by now that this is a feeble love. Because the one falling in love expects, hopes, or demands that they be loved in return.