God Is Love!

For those of us who have been "Christians" for any length of time, we know the concept of God being love, but do we really know the reality of God being love?  When my dad was alive, he would always speak of concepts.  And when he'd get a new concept, he'd call me on the phone and say, "Nanny Poo, I have a concept, and I want you to check it out."  So we'd discuss his new concept for hours on end.

Concepts are awesome, because like theories, they shed light on things and cause us to look further and deeper for understanding.  But sometimes the problem with a concept is that it can stay in that stage and not develop any further than the knowledge received.  So hence the concept is simply information.  Can we be honest my fellow believers?  In this day and age, we are on information overload!

This concept I have concerning the fact that God is love may be surprising to some, but to others may be what they live and walk by daily.  The scripture says in 1 John 4:8 that God is love.  This indicates that the very essence of God is love and that the very essence of love is God.  1+1=2 or 2=1+1 shows the same weight on both sides of the equation.  One cannot truly express God without acting in love, neither can one act in love with out expressing the essence of God.  What can be said about those who seemingly always blab...God, God, God and don't show love?  What can be said of those who express love over and over again but don't say much about God?  Saying God does not reflect love, but showing love always reflects God. 

I was one of those Christians who prided myself on having the ability to quote a lot of scripture and say, "God said thus and such."  I was ready for the Jehovah's Witness, the Mormon and for the Muslim.  I was really ready for those who didn't think it necessary to go to church, or for those who skipped church from time to time because they had more important things to do like wax a car or go out on the lake.  And shame on those who were just plain too tired to come to church because of a long draining work week.  Now I know the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15 that we should be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks about the hope that is in you, but what I failed to realize is that many did not ask.  I took it upon myself to usurp my religiosity upon them and I called it "witnessing".  Really, the only answer to be given if someone should happen to ask is found in Colossians 1:27, it's simply "Christ in me the hope of glory". 

Where did we "Christians" get this pounding people over the head with a bunch of scriptures in an attempt to show them the love of God?  Usually when that is done, it is not that we wish the person to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it is for us to feel better about ourselves.  It is for us to show off what we know, and not who we know through the expression of love.  That was my case anyway. 

Since God is love, then our mission should always be to love.  In loving, we reflect God!  The truth is that actions do speak louder than words, and the concept that God is love can only be transferred to a living reality and move beyond a theory when we show love to one another regardless of our differences.  One might ask what it is to express the love of God, and I believe it is as simple as doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.  This is love which is the true essence and expression of God.