Let Love Lead

We live in a world where there is a lot of talk about love. We read about love
in many books, we watch and listen to movies and music respectively about
love stories; every now and then we as Christian listen to sermon on ‘Love’.
Recently I had a discussion with few people on how they think about love; an
old woman responded that it is love that keeps the family together, an elderly
man responded that without love this world will cease to exist, a very young
girl had an opinion that love is what makes everything beautiful. So, the
questions arise? If love is that important for all the people, are we really
letting the love leads?

Love is the essential fact. It is our ultimate reality and purpose on earth. To be
consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the
meaning of life. Follow or break the rules, let love lead. When love leads,
amazing and beautiful things happen. Love should be the foundation of well-
meaning volunteering endeavour but sadly, love seems to be one of the most
abused words in our daily speech. Now day in day out people are attempting
to define what true love is. We are undeniably the fallen victim of love for
wealth, power and greediness. Now whom we are to blame? Yes! We were
created in the image of God, with the capacity to express His love which was
effectively lost at the fall and replaced by a narcissistic or self love, and not for
others. So in society today we see the outcome of this ‘love’ at so many levels.
There are many Christians whose every action and thoughts are profit
oriented instead of Love oriented. We have countless unions and associations
under the banner “to serve, To Uplift, for justice, for peace, and the lists goes
on. We also have churches and Christian workers working day and night with
the name tag ‘for the extension of His Kingdom’ but I want to hold on to the
pause button once and ponder, is really love leading all these groups and
individuals? If love is leading them than what kind of love?

We see people backing off in the midway, tired and fed up, couldn’t bear the
gossip, and couldn’t adjust with the colleagues. What could be the reason?
Hmm so many questions, yet the answer can be found in one simple word of
God John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so that
everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life (NRSV).
It was this love that an almighty God was willing to send His only son to be
tortured and put to dead on the cross. This is the kind of love that we need as
a young people who is in the leadership or as a follower. God calls us to love
because God is love. This seems difficult, because how can a person feel love
all the time? This is where choice comes in. We can choose love regardless of
how we feel. Jesus wasn’t feeling happy-go-lucky when he was dying on the
cross, but he choose love. Our relationship should be led by love. It is easy to
let emotions lead us in our relationships. If we are offended or hurt by
someone, we tend to treat them in kind. If we are treated well by someone, we
return it with goodwill. But Jesus calls us to love everyone, including those
who would persecute us. And the only way to do this is to choose to love and
not let our emotions make the choice for us.

Many young people are being led by whatsApp, some by Instagram, some by
Facebook and some by online gaming but these things will not define one’s
life. Letting love lead is the greatest commandment that we receive from Jesus.
It is also one of the most difficult. Commanding our choices is essential to
loving others, and we shouldn’t let our emotions decide our choices. They can
play a part and give us information on situation, but we should always reflect
what our intellect and faith tells us to do as well. In this way, we can choose to
clothe ourselves in love.