Beloved Or Lovable
My beloved brethren.
(I Corinthians 15:58)
Who were these "beloved brethren?" Those people who called Paul names. Those who called him a swindler and a materialistic man and a false apostle. Those who slandered him, destroying his human and divine honor. Those who thought that his presence was weak and his speech poor. And these people were believers, not pagans. It was believers who judged Paul, Paul who hardly dared to say of himself, "I am a believer." And yet, amazingly, Paul writes of them that they are "my beloved brethren." He is not concerned that they should love him, but that he should love them, these wayward and contentious and critical and quarrelsome people. "Why? Because I do not love you? God knows." (2 Corinthians 11:11)
Why are these people so dear to Paul? Is there anything lovable in them? Is there anything lovable in us? No, there is nothing. But Paul does not look in them for that which he can love, but for That Whom he can love. That is lovable. Christ is lovable Who abides in them. This is the only true reason for love. There is no other reason but this; that I love for His sake. Only then will my duty be not in vain, if I am loving Him in the other person. If I love Him in the unlovable community. Only then can I be steadfast, if I love Him in the church and in my friends and in my enemies, in everybody. If I love Him in myself. There is no other way.
When I confessed my feelings to my would-be wife, her answer was like a damper to my burning heart; but then I understood that it was a declaration of love. "Don`t love me," she said. "Love Jesus, and what is left is enough for me."
[FV, HFTR, (c)2003]
(I Corinthians 15:58)
Who were these "beloved brethren?" Those people who called Paul names. Those who called him a swindler and a materialistic man and a false apostle. Those who slandered him, destroying his human and divine honor. Those who thought that his presence was weak and his speech poor. And these people were believers, not pagans. It was believers who judged Paul, Paul who hardly dared to say of himself, "I am a believer." And yet, amazingly, Paul writes of them that they are "my beloved brethren." He is not concerned that they should love him, but that he should love them, these wayward and contentious and critical and quarrelsome people. "Why? Because I do not love you? God knows." (2 Corinthians 11:11)
Why are these people so dear to Paul? Is there anything lovable in them? Is there anything lovable in us? No, there is nothing. But Paul does not look in them for that which he can love, but for That Whom he can love. That is lovable. Christ is lovable Who abides in them. This is the only true reason for love. There is no other reason but this; that I love for His sake. Only then will my duty be not in vain, if I am loving Him in the other person. If I love Him in the unlovable community. Only then can I be steadfast, if I love Him in the church and in my friends and in my enemies, in everybody. If I love Him in myself. There is no other way.
When I confessed my feelings to my would-be wife, her answer was like a damper to my burning heart; but then I understood that it was a declaration of love. "Don`t love me," she said. "Love Jesus, and what is left is enough for me."
[FV, HFTR, (c)2003]
posted by CS at 9:05 PM
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