Welcome to our first adventure into the study of Character! Are you a Character? Is the Character of Love in you? Here is how you can find out. Take a careful look at this character and fruit of love from God's most precious Word by examining the passages below. Now ask yourself:
How do I exhibit Love in my daily life?
What can I do to develop a more loving attitude?
How can I make love function better, stronger, and faster, even in times of uncertainty and stress?
Galatians 5:22-23
The General idea of Love (John 13:1; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:3; 1 John) will enable us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and, of course, our family and others around us. Love is taking the initiative to build up and meet the needs of others without expecting anything in return.
The opposite is hate. It covers the areas from disliking people who are different to deliberately seeking malice and destruction of what the Lord has for us!
Here are positive examples from Scripture (1 Sam. 20:17; Matt. 13:35; 1 John 4).
Here are negative examples from Scripture (Matt. 6:5; 23:6; 1 John 4:19; Rev. 2:4).
Further Questions
How would you define Love?
Would you rather love, or be loved?
Look at 1 Corinthians 13:3. How does your practice of love compare to this passage?
Can you give an example from your life?
When have you loved the best?
In what situation did you fail to love when you should have?
What issue is in your life that would improve with more love?
Think through the steps you need to take to put love into action in a specific instance or to improve it. Consider examples such as a person who is mean to you at work, or a distant relative, or a neighbor with whom you may not get along.
God's love must be our model for life. It must flow into us from Christ, and in return flow out from us to those around us. God's love is the ultimate power for the Christian. We are to be fueled and empowered by love in all situations. Christian love is the turning of our backs to self-concerns, and facing our neighbors. It is the surrender of our will to His. Because, if love does not take us beyond our self-interests, then what we have is lust, not love! As the passage of 1 Corinthians 13:3 would say, we become just a noise that has no reason or purpose. Out of true love, God the Father gave us His Son, and the Son gave His life in replacement for ours. The Son sent the Spirit to save us, and we should be literally overwhelmed-consumed--with extreme joy and gratitude for what God has done for us.
Remember; "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant." (NAS) What love is not is as important as what love is! Be aware that we will be held accountable and even judged on what we do not do or refuse to see when sin and pride are in the way (Matt. 23:27; Luke 19:42)!
