Is it possible that in loving others we can get more joy than being loved?
People are always looking for love from others; "All you need is love". But do we realise that in God's love we have the greatest love that we will ever know? A love that far surpasses all other earthly loves that we can give or receive? Yes, it may not be from a concrete, human person whom we can meet everyday, but it is nonetheless love; and not just love, but Love itself, from which all other loves flow. Indeed, we can only love because God Himself, who is love, has given us the knowledge of what it is to love. And there is no greater example of that love than Jesus Himself, the perfect expression of God's love.
As such, if God's love is our foundation, our bedrock, then ours is joy indeed! Not only that, but we are freed from the need to be loved because we know the greatest love, and hence freed to let all God's love flow through us to others. Of course we would be fools to turn away the love that others give. But the need to be loved, if too strong, can be a great bondage. When we turn away from thinking about ourselves, and thinking about being loved, then we are free to turn all our attention to others, and that is when God's love can flow strongest. And we can only do this because we rest secure in the greatest love of all; we need nothing else.
A foreign social worker said something that really struck me- "It's not just about giving, as I get a lot for myself too. I can feel absolutely dead after work, and if I trundle down my own path, that adds to my fatigue and stress. But as soon as I turn my energy to someone else, it picks me up and puts everything in perspective. I feel restored."
On the last day of a field camp this year, we had to endure a gruelling 9km march with heavy packs in sweltering heat in order to finish the camp. At the half way mark, I really felt like I couldn't take it anymore. I was in tears. But thank God my close friend came over to pray for me, and I felt the love and strength of God quietly enter my heart. I was still very tired. But there was another of my platoon mates who had already told the instructors that he wanted to give up, and a few of us were trying to persuade him not to. Amazingly, when I put my effort into encouraging him on, my pains faded away, and I felt new strength in my body. I kid you not; I seriously and honestly doubt I would have had the strength to go on if that had not happened.
I believe this is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). There is joy in being loved by others, but there is even greater joy in loving others. And did Jesus not exemplify this with His own life? He loved us, even though we persecuted, insulted, tortured and crucified Him, and did not hesitate to do so, because He was always supremely confident that the Father was with Him, and loved Him. "For the Father loveth the Son..." John 5:20. "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." John 16:32
May God truly teach us to have that kind of confidence in His love, and to love like He does!
People are always looking for love from others; "All you need is love". But do we realise that in God's love we have the greatest love that we will ever know? A love that far surpasses all other earthly loves that we can give or receive? Yes, it may not be from a concrete, human person whom we can meet everyday, but it is nonetheless love; and not just love, but Love itself, from which all other loves flow. Indeed, we can only love because God Himself, who is love, has given us the knowledge of what it is to love. And there is no greater example of that love than Jesus Himself, the perfect expression of God's love.
As such, if God's love is our foundation, our bedrock, then ours is joy indeed! Not only that, but we are freed from the need to be loved because we know the greatest love, and hence freed to let all God's love flow through us to others. Of course we would be fools to turn away the love that others give. But the need to be loved, if too strong, can be a great bondage. When we turn away from thinking about ourselves, and thinking about being loved, then we are free to turn all our attention to others, and that is when God's love can flow strongest. And we can only do this because we rest secure in the greatest love of all; we need nothing else.
A foreign social worker said something that really struck me- "It's not just about giving, as I get a lot for myself too. I can feel absolutely dead after work, and if I trundle down my own path, that adds to my fatigue and stress. But as soon as I turn my energy to someone else, it picks me up and puts everything in perspective. I feel restored."
On the last day of a field camp this year, we had to endure a gruelling 9km march with heavy packs in sweltering heat in order to finish the camp. At the half way mark, I really felt like I couldn't take it anymore. I was in tears. But thank God my close friend came over to pray for me, and I felt the love and strength of God quietly enter my heart. I was still very tired. But there was another of my platoon mates who had already told the instructors that he wanted to give up, and a few of us were trying to persuade him not to. Amazingly, when I put my effort into encouraging him on, my pains faded away, and I felt new strength in my body. I kid you not; I seriously and honestly doubt I would have had the strength to go on if that had not happened.
I believe this is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). There is joy in being loved by others, but there is even greater joy in loving others. And did Jesus not exemplify this with His own life? He loved us, even though we persecuted, insulted, tortured and crucified Him, and did not hesitate to do so, because He was always supremely confident that the Father was with Him, and loved Him. "For the Father loveth the Son..." John 5:20. "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." John 16:32
May God truly teach us to have that kind of confidence in His love, and to love like He does!
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