Reverend Christopher D. Handy's Weekly Message

Love is more powerful than Hate

1 John 4: 20-21

Love is the most important thing in our lives. Jesus is humanity example of how much we need to love one another and ourselves. When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we grow to recognize that everyone is part of His creation. Jesus makes it clear in St. John 13:34-35, we have a new commandment to Love One Another. We must love one another because we are loved by God; and have received that love, and live in light of it.

If you are reading this and thinking, this all sounds good, but there are some people you just can't love, regardless. We all probably felt that way at times, especially towards those who have hurt and wronged us. Keep in mind Jesus is love and Jesus loves everyone even the ones who betrayed him and those who beat him. In Jesus, He loves everyone through us. It's just another example of why we must continually let Him direct our lives and control our will. Since this is God's kind of love, it comes into our life through our relationship with Him. If we want to love one another more, we need to draw closer to God.

If God’s love lives inside of us, we will have this kind of love for others. This love John speaks of in 1 John 4:20-21, comes from the Greek word agape; it is the concept of a self-giving love that gives without demanding or expecting re-payment. This love is rare in the world. Such love requires the foundation of integrity, truthfulness, and unity with the absolute. Love is the sure sign of a true Christian and Christ abiding spirit within our hearts. If Christ is living in our hearts, we will have this love for our fellow-man. The reason for this is once we have experienced God’s mercy, we realize how blessed we are to have Christ in our life. In spite of our weaknesses and our short comings, his grace gives us strength to overcome hate. When we have this heavenly outlook in our hearts, we naturally love those who are not part of our family. It is this true love that is totally committed to the welfare of others.

Though, love springs forth a long-lasting relationship with God which comes from our being born of Him. If we are born of Him, and are abiding in Him, the resources for love are there. It is up to us to respond to His command with our will and whole being.

Jesus Himself said in St. John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”: Jesus came to teach us the way and the truth and the life. So, if Jesus is in me, I have the way, and the truth, and the life, and the righteousness of Jesus, and His holiness, His redemption; and the love of Jesus, and His patience, and His humility living inside of me.

It's human nature to emulate those we admire most, so in getting to know Christ, we'll discover a God worthy of our whole-hearted love, and mankind will see that love in us and the power of God’s Love. It is not for us to know who will choose Him and who will not, but we are called to be His witnesses. In order to fulfill that calling, we must love others enough to desire their salvation just as He does.

The truth of the words of Jesus Christ which have echoed over two thousand years are the basis upon which unity is built, but love is the bond that holds us together in His truth. With this, any church can look forward to spiritual health and growth and fruitfulness. Once we accept this we will realize that Love is more powerful than hate.

©By: Rev. Christopher D. Handy