It’s a Charles Schultz classic. Linus has just told Lucy that he plans to become a doctor. Lucy stops skipping rope to offer her usual constructive criticism: “That’s a big laugh! You could never be a doctor! You know why?”
Then, as she turns to skipping rope again, she offers her acid analysis of Linus: “Because you don’t love mankind, that’s why!”
And Linus, with a straight back and obviously disturbed appearance, comes back with his defense: “I love mankind…its people I can’t stand!” - Larry Dipboye
Each one of us, at some time or another, has said something similar to what Linus said. I marvel at the world God has created and I believe it is wonderful. Then on the other hand the world is in such a mess. What is the problem? The world itself is alright, it is the people who make such a mess of it.
If we look at some of our churches, we will find that some members are at odds with other members. Sometimes this situation brings about a decline in membership because people will leave to go to another church or they will stop going to church.
I have seen visitors attend one or two services and never come back because they were not recognized or were not made to feel welcome. Some of these visitors were of a different culture and some of them were of a different race.
Families have fallen apart because one member chose to step outside his culture or race and form a relationship with an individual the family does not approve of.
Not too many years ago the Afro-American people of the South were shunned and looked down-upon by the Caucasian people. Slavery ended with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but segregation continued in the South until the 1960’s.
Scripture says that “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).
Scripture goes on to say “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good”
(Genesis 1:31).
Since God never created anything that was useless or valueless, why is there ill-feeling and dislike between the people God created? Why can’t people live together like one big family? I believe that it goes back to the sinful nature of man. Once man sinned things changed.
Adam and Eve’s first child was Cain and the second was Abel. When they grew to manhood, Cain became a farmer and Abel a shepherd. The family relationship was good at this point until Cain “brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD and Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock” (Genesis 4:3-4).
For whatever reason, God rejected Cain’s offering but accepted Abel’s offering. Maybe Cain’s offering was not the best of his fruits of the soil. Perhaps Cain’s attitude was not in accordance to what God expected. It might have been that Cain did not present his offering with thanksgiving and a joyful heart. We really do not know. The only thing we know is Cain’s offering was rejected.
Instead of Cain rejoicing with Abel, he became angry and jealous. His anger moved to the next level and that was the murder of his brother Abel.
There was something missing in this first family. That something was necessary to hold the family together. Just as glue or paste is necessary to hold objects together, love is necessary to hold human relationships together.
This was demonstrated by God when Adam and Eve first sinned. As we said before, God loved what he had created and he did not want to destroy mankind. God’s love is what brought us to the point we are this very day. It is because of God’s love we are together in this room.
John tells us “Beloved, let us love one another…” (I John 4:7). This seems so simple, yet it is so difficult for people to understand. People have a tendency to think of love as a feeling. Someone might say, “I love you” meaning “I have a feeling for you now, but I might not have a feeling for you tomorrow; hence, I may not love you tomorrow.” True love is not lust or a feeling type of love.
Story: “These Hands”
A young man and a young woman became engaged and were looking forward to a near wedding day, when the young man was suddenly called into the service of his country. From the field of warfare letters regularly came and went, and love shined brightly in all of them. Then letters from the young man abruptly stopped. A few weeks passed and then there came a letter in a strange handwriting. In it the young woman read:
“There has been another battle. I have lost both my arms. I asked my comrade to write this for me, and to tell you that I release you from our engagement, for now I will not be able to work and support you.”
That letter was never answered. By the next train the young woman journeyed southward. She left the train and went directly to the hospital. Inquiring the location of the young man’s cot, she quietly approached and suddenly flung herself down by the side of his cot with the passionate words, “I will never give you up. These hands of mine will work for you. We will live our life of love together.” – S.E. DuBois, in Gospel Herald
That is true love. That is what Jesus did for each of us. He gave himself that we might be his hands and do his work.
Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (I Corinthians 13:4-7).
We notice that in these verses of Scripture, love is an action. For example, “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud…” Also notice this type of love is not a self-type love, it is directed in the direction of other people. This love is not concerned about us or self, but is concerned about others.
Usually when people talk about love, they are talking about what they are getting instead of what they are giving. This is a selfish love rather than an unselfish love.
Now when we go back to our original question concerning why the world is in such a mess, why people problems originate in church, why families fall apart and why some people are looked down-upon or cast out, we understand the adhesive for holding mankind together is missing. That adhesive is love.
Story: “No Farewell to Love”
As an aged Christian lay dying, a friend called to say farewell. “I have just had three other visitors,” said the dying man, “and with two of them I parted; but the third I shall keep with me forever.”
“Who are they?” “the first was Faith, and I said, ‘Goodbye, Faith! I thank God for your company ever since I first trusted Christ; but now I am going where faith is lost in sight.’ Then came Hope. ‘Farewell, Hope!’ I cried. ‘You have helped me in many an hour of battle and distress, but now I shall not need you, for I am going where hope passes into fruition.’
“Last of all came Love. ‘Love’, said I, ‘you have indeed been my friend; you have linked me with God and with my fellow men; you have comforted and gladdened all my pilgrimage. But I cannot leave you behind; you must come with me through the gates, into the city of God, for love is perfected in heaven.’” - Sunday School Chronicle.
John goes on to tell us that the love we are to love one another with is the “love of God” (v. 7). John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The world is you and me.
As a Christian, we know God is our source of love. As a Christian we know Jesus shines forth and shows us true love. His birth, His years on earth, His teachings, His arrest, His trial, His mistreatment, His crucifixion, His death and His resurrection was all done in love for each one of us.
Since we are his children and have accepted him, by faith, as our Lord and Savior, he has given us the power we need to love others. That power comes from the Holy Spirit who lives within our heart. We become more like Jesus and are able to love like Jesus because the Holy Spirit directs our steps. Our love will be like the love of Jesus and that is in the form of action toward other people.
John continues “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (I John 4:8). There is no way to love the way Jesus loves if we do not know God because God is love. God’s love is not a superficial love or a feeling type of love. God’s love is truly sacrificial and perfect love. His love is sacrificial because of the Cross. God’s love is perfect because Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.
John tells us “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation (atonement, compensation, penance) for our sins” (I John 4:10). God cannot tolerate the sins or evil acts we do and he does not take the excuses we offer when we try to justify our actions, but when we repent and accept him, he is merciful to us because of Christ’s shed blood on the Cross.
1 Peter 2:24 states: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
Jesus was our substitute.
Story: “What Are Christians For?”
A Christian woman who was engaged in work for the poor and degraded was once spoken to by one who was well acquainted with both the worker and those whom she sought to reach.
“It does seem wonderful to me that you can do such work,” her friend said. “You sit beside these people, and talk with them in a way that I do not think you would if you knew about them, just what they are, and from what places they come.”
Her answer was, “Well, I suppose they are dreadful people. But, if the Lord Jesus were now on earth, are they not the very people He would strive to teach? Would He feel Himself too good to go among them? And am I better than my Master?”
A poor, illiterate person, who stood listening to this conversation, said with great earnestness and simplicity, “Why, I always thought that was what Christians were for.”
The one who objected was silent and what wonder? Is not that what Christians are for?
- Christian Herald
If we would love others the way God loves us, the world would not be in the mess it is in. We would not be at odds with others. Families would stick together. Race, color or creed would not cause problems among people.
God is Perfect Love—
What is Perfect Love?
Perfect love is:
Slow to suspect – quick to trust,
Slow to condemn – quick to justify,
Slow to offend – quick to defend,
Slow to expose – quick to shield,
Slow to reprimand – quick to forbear,
Slow to belittle – quick to appreciate,
Slow to demand – quick to give,
Slow to provoke – quick to make peace,
Slow to hinder – quick to help,
Slow to resent – quick to forgive.
- Herald of Holiness
Love is the adhesive that bind us together.
Amen.
