Cultivate a Life of ImpactSample

CULTIVATE COMPASSION

Some of us think that God’s love is tribal, which means God loves those on His team. Or that God’s love is a consequence if we obey Him. Some of us consider love as a reward, which means that God loves those who perform. It doesn’t matter if your life is exemplary or whether you’re a rebel, God loves you. God isn’t just loving, God is love. It is the essence of who He is and it is His only intention towards you.

John 3:16 (ESV) surprises us –

‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.’

God saw worth in man. This is a value statement. You are so valuable to God that He was prepared to pay the ransom and redeem mankind. The world system attaches applause to people in terms of their status, their job description or achievements, where they stay, and what they drive. God’s standard is completely different, He values Christ’s image in man. Christ died to redeem every human being’s inherent value.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (ESV) provides another layer to this –

‘For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.’

God’s love awakens love. When you begin to see the love of God, you cannot but respond in love. The truth is love always requires tangible expression. It requires our hands and feet and action.

1 John 3:16-18 (ESV) reminds us of this –

‘By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’ s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.’

As humans, we sometimes struggle to see value in one another, influenced by our prejudices, fear, and disappointment. However, regenerated by Christ, enlightened and empowered by the Holy Spirit love is awakened in us. Our awareness of who we truly are in Christ sets us free to love.

1 John 4:12 (ESV) speaks of this reality –

‘No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.’

Two questions to ask yourself today:

1. On what basis have you received God’s love recently?
2. On what basis have you loved others recently?

Our prayer –

Father God, thank You for declaring our worth when Jesus died on the cross. You are love. By Your Spirit, You have poured Your love into our hearts. From that place of union with You may we value those around us in practical ways.