Why Do We Keep Talking About Love?
When I was in high school my friends and I had three things that we always talked about: girls, cars, and money. But we were fooling nobody. The obvious reality was we had no girls, no cars, and no money. So of course, no one took us seriously.
You might remember I shared this illustration in a late 2020 sermon, but I want to bring it back to your attention because it perfectly illustrates a point: When we talk authoritatively about something but do not possess it no one takes us seriously. Unfortunately, this illustration perfectly captures what often happens in the church: We talk a whole lot about love but have very little of it. It’s easy to understand why it’s so hard for non-Christians to take us seriously.
We donate some money, we say hello to a stranger, we have empathy for someone, and boom we think we understand it and possess it. Yet, a study done by the Barna Group in 2018 shows that while six in ten (62%) non-Christians and lapsed Christians are open to talking about faith matters with someone who would listen without judgment, only one-third (34%) see this trait in the Christians they know personally.[1.] We may have objections but the literature for the past 20 years shows a similar pattern. If you think you are not one of these unloving Christians, I encourage you to examine your soul because there is a 66% chance you are perceived as unloving. We would be proud (which is a sin, ref: 1 Jn 2:6; Jam 4:6; Prov 18:10–12) to believe we are the exception without self-examination.
Some might say, “why do we keep talking about love? We need to move on and talk about deeper things.” Ellen White says, “You may study [God’s] love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend… the love of God… Eternity itself can never fully reveal it.” (5T p.740) and Paul says, “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Eph 3:18-19 NLT).
Why do we keep talking about love? Because eternity isn’t long enough to understand the depths of His love. Therein lie the riches and wisdom of heaven. And in that love lies the example for the church to follow if it is to be a witness of the risen Christ (John 13:15). Regardless of your good and loving works, I encourage you to examine your soul, meditate on the love of God, and ask yourself, “how can reflect the love of God more today?”
—Pastor Alex Portillo