Broad Love
1 Corinthians 13:4-7—Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Myopic…Tunnel Vision…Missing the Forest for a Tree… These and other similar phrases can be used to describe so many aspects of our lives. We can get so focused on something, that we miss a lot. Sometimes we can get so focused on something, even something good, that we miss the greater good of appreciating the whole of something. In fact, sometimes by being so narrow in our focus, we end up doing harm.
Research has shown that the trend of the last 10-20 years of young people focusing on just one sport instead of being well-rounded in sports has led to the growing problem of bodies worn out long before they ever should be. A college athlete, even high school, could be the biggest, fastest, strongest player on the basketball court, but they blow out their knees because their regimen was too focused on one kind of activity.
This last year has brought about a strange phenomenon where I’ve witnessed even Christian love becoming quite myopic. Read throughout Scripture, and you will find that love is an extremely broad behavior in the life of the Christian. These words from the pen of the Apostle Paul are often used as the sermon text at weddings. Sadly, they’re often used for the wrong reason because people figure you better talk about love at a wedding, but they’re thinking of love as warm fuzzies. But any preacher on his “A” game will point out just how broad love is, both in the life of a married couple, and in the lives of Christians in general.
Boil it all down, Christian love is all about putting God first, then everyone else in the world second, and you dead last. Love towards others is meeting each person according to their own unique needs. Love in every circumstance is also unique according to that circumstance at that time. Love will meet those challenges of great differences with humility. It is the law which wants to make hard and fast rules. It is the law which dictates behavior is the same in every circumstance with every person. Love is a one-on-one sort of a thing.
You might think, “Well, isn’t that being myopic…missing the forest for a tree?” That’s a matter of perspective. The law wants to look at everyone and each circumstance the same. Love sees that there is a whole forest of people out there, each one needing to be loved in their own unique way.
I mentioned that I have witnessed the strange phenomenon of Christian love becoming myopic lately. I’ve particularly seen this since the pandemic hit. I’ve heard a lot of people say something along the lines, “I show my love by…” While I’d like to think those things are said in love, I’ve often heard those words spoken with an attitude of boasting. And in that boasting comes a condemnation of those who don’t do exactly as they do and therefore aren’t being loving. This is an extremely uncharitable and narrowly-defined version of love.
Friends, guard your hearts against the temptation to turn broad Christian love into a narrowly defined set of words and actions according to you. To do so would really be to turn love into law. Whenever it comes to application of love apart from explicit commands from God’s holy Word, be careful not to elevate your application of love to the command of God. This would be Pharisaism.
Over this last year, we’ve been bombarded unlike any time before with the topic of disease and health. In this arena which has such a broad spectrum of opinion, advice, reasoning, evidence, and experts, please remember to live in love toward all people. Especially those who may not agree with you in all things health. Remember, these matters of health are all based upon the knowledge and understanding of human beings, and therefore can be flawed and sadly influenced by the devil to even promote lies under the guise of truth.
In your love, be patient and kind. Rejoice together in the one and only absolute truth—the precious treasure of God’s Word. Persevere in your broad love for each person with the love they need at that time in that circumstance. Yeah, it will mean more work on your part, but what else is there for us to do but to love others as we have been loved by Christ?