Loving Others by Gary Smith

Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us; that we may be saved.

Psalm 80:7 NIV

Two more sleeps! Just two more sleeps!

John 3:16 tells us God loves the world so much he gave to it his only Son. That is a lot of love. He did not just give his Son as an example but, ultimately, as a sacrifice. That is a lot to give with no guarantee of requisition.

Written at a time of great tribulation in Jewish history, it is suggested that today’s scripture was written shortly after the collapse of the Northern Kingdom or, alternatively, shortly after the Babylonian exile, when Jews returned to a destroyed land.

It is easy to feel alone in the world, to feel overlooked, unappreciated, bereft of solace or comfort. The reason it is easy, in my humble estimation, is largely a matter of perspective—attitude if you will. The Psalmist gives air to the idea that God exists to serve us, not the other way around.

I suggest that love is not about how much YOU are loved but how much YOU love others. When one’s heart is filled with love, predicated upon the lifting, nurturing, and imbuing others with a sense of worth and value, the power thereof is truly realized.

Love is not a passive endeavor. It requires action, repeated action, to the extent the recipient feels cherished and adored. Seeing this reflected in the eyes of another or hearing it in their words of tender appreciation is the entire point. Wanting to be loved is about as human as it gets. Giving love with no expectation other than the feeling of happiness expressing such love affords is divine. Feeling the love YOU have for another is what matters most. It is not easy to love unconditionally, but dying upon a cross is not either.

GARY SMITH