If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners love those who love them (Luke 6:32).

For many people, loving others is a nebulous concept. Fortunately,
agape love is very clearly defined in the Scriptures. When love is used
as a noun in Scripture, it is referring to character. For example:
"God is love" (1 John 4:8); "Love is patient, love is
kind," etc. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Love is the highest of
character attainments: "The goal of our instruction is love from a
pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Timothy
1:5). Love is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), the means by
which a true disciple of Christ is identified (John 13:35). The
attention given to love in passages such as 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John
4 reveals its importance to God in our interpersonal relationships, of
which the family is primary.

Agape love is not dependent on the person being loved, but on the
lover. You may like someone because of who he is; but you love him
because of who you are. God loves us not because we are lovable, but
because God is love. If it were any other way, God’s love would be
conditional. If you performed better, would God love you more? Of course
not. God’s love for us is not based on our performance, but on His
character.

Love is also used as a verb in Scripture. "For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). Used this
way, love is grace in action. It is giving unconditionally to meet the
needs of another.

If you say you don’t love someone, you have said more about yourself
than about that person. Specifically, you’re saying that you haven’t
attained the maturity to love him unconditionally (Luke 6:32). The grace
of God enables you to love others in a way that people without Christ
cannot. God doesn’t command you to like your family, your neighbors and
your coworkers because you can’t order your emotions to respond. But He
does instruct you to love them. You can always choose to do the loving
thing and trust that your feelings will follow in time.

Thank You, Father, for bestowing on me the greatest love of all by
sending Jesus. Teach me to love others as You have loved me.

This daily devotional is published and distributed by http://www.GOSHEN.net/ . It is
written by Neil Anderson at http://www.freedominchrist.com/
.

Additional devotionals are available from GOSHEN: http://www.Devotionals.net/