Surface Love?

We are taught and told as Christians from our toddler years on to love one another. As we grow we try to live out loving one another. We tell everyone brother, sister I love you with the love of Christ Jesus. We say these things, but most times we don't mean them. We love each other with a surface love! Surface love is a love that is superficial, a love that in generic and can be replaced by the word caring for the common person or common good. Surface love is a love that is concerned for someone generally but not specifically. Surface love is not the love of Christ Jesus.

Our text today comes from John 15: 18-20

12 ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. ¹⁷I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

The World’s Hatred

18 ‘If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. ²⁰Remember the word that I said to you, “Servants are not greater than their master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

Jesus calls us to love each other as followers of God. Jesus did not love on the surface but to the depths of the soul.

Friends, today I encourage you to start new loving relationships; not founded on surface love but on true love. Love everyone desperately as Jesus would have us love. Love those who hate you, who speak ill of you and those who even stab you in the back. Love all of Gods people.

Be Well!