Genuine Love

I have a lot on my mind.

First, I have a confession to make - I'm jotting all of this down in my journal during church. Don't get me wrong, I listened somewhat to what the pastor had to say, but I just needed to write some of my thoughts down. Plus, these thoughts are founded on the essential point of message. And, yes, this is me rationalizing my heathen behavior. ;)

Because tomorrow is Christmas eve, the sermon is about the Christmas story found in Luke 2. Not only that, but the pastor is speaking about how Christians today have gotten it all wrong. We celebrate Christmas in ways that are not honoring to God.

How have we come to the point where Santa Clause and Rudolph are among some of the most well known figures of Christmas? Why is it that materialism has seemed to overcome the power of the birth of Christ in our society? Christmas is a time of love, but what good is love if it's defined by a decision we make to intentionally "love more" during specific "love holidays"?

Romans 12:9 says, "Let love be genuine." Is our love truly genuine if we think we only have to "fully love" during the most wonderful time of the year? It's easy to love during Christmas. We as human beings are fueled by observing other peoples' actions and behaving accordingly. When others are giving, laughing, and acting kindly, it's easy for us to do the same.

But what about the not so wonderful times of the year? What happens to our love when disaster hits? The path towards perfecting the art of genuine love is when one can truly love even when others aren't loving back.

It's clear that we as followers of Christ are to love genuinely, but the question is what is genuine love? The definition of genuine love is found in the well known love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on it's own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 

1 Corinthians 13:8 is my favorite part of that whole passage - love never ends. If our love was truly genuine, then we wouldn't have to worry about trying extra hard to love during Christmas (or any other holiday for that matter). If our love was genuine, it would be never ending.

My prayer for all Christians, including me, is that we would be patient, kind, humble, selfless, and merciful not only during Christmas, but throughout all seasons of life.

I pray that we won't conform to the ways of this world and put a little more effort into loving others more during Christmas, but that our love would be consistent and obvious throughout everything that we do.

I pray that we will love because He first loved us, not because our culture has defined the spirit of Christmas as being joyful and giving to others generously.

My hope for all followers of Christ is that our spirit of Christmas will continue long after the festivities of the holiday have come to an end.