As a young man growing up I was always captivated by the gravity of the songs that filled the airwaves about love. They were so powerful and penetrated deep down into the soul. I think that is where the term Soul Music came from. It appeared that everybody knew a lot about love. Dionne Warwick’s, “What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love.” Deon Jackson said, “Love makes the world Go Round;” Barbara Acklin said, “Love Makes A Woman.” But I think the one that really got us to thinking was Tina Turner when she asked, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
The short answer to that question is everything. The Bible explains that God is Love. Even though the term Love has been diluted, distorted and severely misused it does not carry the same value as it did years ago. I understand that people in the world have a different definition of what love is than most Christians. It seems as though the church is adopting the world’s point of view on love in word only until adversity arrives, then you are all alone.
The standard for love was established by our Lord and Savior Jesus when He said in John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love another as I have loved you.” That is the standard that we all must live up to. When Jesus Himself was quizzed about love He said this, “You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment and the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22: 37-39. Unselfish love is required by Christ’s followers because the world is watching. Make no mistake about it people are watching what we say and do if we declare that we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Why is this type of love displayed to the world so important? It identifies who we are. People are judging us all the time, what you do, what you say, how you say it and they reach conclusions about who we are. Jesus said it would be the determining factor of our discipleship. In fact, He gave a new commandment to his followers in John 13: 34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: as I have loved you, that you love one another. This is proof of who you are. By this, all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
We are living in an angry world with whites against blacks, tall against shorts, rich against poor, well against the sick, young against the old and it is getting exceedingly more difficult to determine who the followers of Jesus really are. Everybody wants to be politically correct; but what about Godly correct? I think we Christians are losing our perspective on our calling, trying to identify with the popular views of the world. But I say let’s keep it simple. Let’s just follow Paul’s instructions to the Roman Christians “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” Romans 12: 9- 11.
People always say, “you can’t beat God’s giving” but I wonder if they really believe it. I want to encourage and remind the body of Christ through His word, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” James 2:8-13.
In conclusion, Jesus said “because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spue you out of my mouth” Revelation 3:16. Peter encourages us, “since you have purified your soul in obeying the truth through the Holy Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another (fervently) with a pure heart” that’s hot love, not cold. Then John wraps it up in 1 John 4:7-11 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God: and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Beloved if God so loved us we also ought to love one another.”
What’s love got to do with it? Everything; it does make the world go round. Yes, what the world needs now is love sweet love. God bless the readers and obeyers of His great and Holy Word. Amen!!!
Reflections
Pastor Nathaniel Jones
Guest Blogger ~
Pastor Nathaniel Jones is a native of Orlando, Florida. He is a graduate of International Bible Seminary in Plymouth, Florida where he received an Associate’s Degree in Bible Theology. Some years later he attended The University of Phoenix where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services.
He served as pastor of Johnson Community Church in Hawthorne, FL., Willow Plant Missionary Baptist in Citra, FL., Mt. Zura Baptist Church in Newberry, FL., and he is currently the founder and Pastor of Acts of Faith Ministries Inc. in Archer, Fl.
He has been married to Mrs. Mary B. Jones for 47 years and together they have 6 children; and a host of grandchildren. He worked for the Alachua County School System and the Gainesville Job Corps before retiring in July 2016.
He continues preaching and teaching God’s word which is the delight of his life.
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