Love possesses a fundamental role in our daily lives, yet we often mis-categorize it as weakness and thus limit its influence to our own detriment.
Few well-adjusted individuals would reflect on a situation and conclude that they should have been more harsh and less loving. More often we find ourselves expressing the exact opposite. We regret that we have been curt and impatient with those we care about, yet instead of correcting our behavior we compound the effects by attempting to justify it. Resultantly, we continue to push away those who care most about us and further isolate ourselves.
But as we can all attest, love can be far from easy. People always have and unfortunately always will confound, disappoint, and hurt us. When these affronts occur, longings for justice, vindication, and even vengeance manifest themselves in us. For they sound much more appealing and definitive than forgiveness and love. But they too fall flat and breed dissonance in our relationships, regardless of how 'right' we may have been.
John lends a reminder to us this week to hold the course and remain faithful to a life of love.
“But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.”
As I consider the charge to 'conduct [my life] in love' I am confronted by my actions as recently as this past week. I'd imagine I'm not alone in thinking I've missed the mark and could have handled a number of situations alternatively.
I submit that the fundamental mindset shift we could all benefit from in our relationships is from that of desiring to win our arguments, to that of desiring to understand each other. In doing so, we effectively shift the focus off ourselves to others. This feat of patience and humility is an act only possible through love. Love that we can confidently apply because of our obedience to His Message.
Furthermore, love has a wonderfully pervasive influence in our lives that is often mirrored by those around us. So let us fully accept the charge to conduct our lives in love and in doing so be the positive cultural shift in our communities. Remember, understanding vice winning, is our objective in relationships.