"We Love Because He First Loved Us"

“We Love Because He First Loved Us”

"It isn't the amount of our years that will determine the life we live now, but the amount of our love." This profound quote by spiritual teacher and author, Marianne Williamson, reminds me of St. John’s, the evangelist, words about God’s love.  "We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)  This collective wisdom challenges us to achieve something eternal by genuinely and selflessly sharing God's love.  

Elsewhere, the great apostle of love, John, simply yet significantly defines God's essential character.  "God is love." Each person, created in the image of Almighty God, has a unique opportunity to share His love with humankind.  God elects to share an infinitesimal bit of Himself in every human being.  Within the circle of family, friends and neighbors, we can demonstrate God's sacrificial, selfless and redemptive love without expecting anything in return.  Imagine the difference in human relationships if each individual aspires to share authentically God's love? 

Today, I eulogized a middle-aged adult whose death is an ironic healing from a progressively debilitating disease with which she lived for nearly fifteen years.  For a decade and a half, her family and friends watched as this illness increasingly tightened the vice of limitations to her creativity, charitable heart and magnanimous personality.  Throughout her life, she distinguished herself by the selfless love she gave to anyone she encountered.  Unanimously, family and friends testified to her incredible willingness to share her intellectual, financial, relational and emotional resources to enrich the lives of people whose paths intersected with hers. 

Among many heartwarming and deeply touching stories people shared is a story of her unsolicited help for a recent immigrant.  As the story goes, this young man recently entered the country and obtained a job at this woman's firm.  The young man was shabbily dressed and appeared unkempt.  The next weekend, this young woman bore great personal expense to purchase a complete wardrobe for this immigrant. 

The affects and effects of divine love, when liberally shared without any expectations are infinite.  I suspect this young man will never forget being the recipient of this divine gift.  He will "pay this forward" by assisting people in need he encounters.  He may even establish some formal program or mechanism of helping persons whose need equals or exceeds his.  Like a ceaseless ripple in the ocean, his gratitude potentially will extend to numerous future generations of family and friends. 

If asked in the autumn of his life to explain his seemingly limitless generosity, he will recount his very personal and heartfelt memories of this story.  Probably, he will tell the people listening he loves because he has been so deeply touched by love.  In essence, "we love because He first loved us." As someone who receives God's love when you are most vulnerable and in need, you will express your gratitude by sharing your talents, treasure and time with others similarly situated.  

Should you still strive for clarity as it relates to your purpose in life, I suggest you consider this verse.  Each of us has a chance to share God's love as a part of our earthly pilgrimage.  Instead of dwelling primarily upon “saving souls” through leading people in the sinner’s prayer and evangelizing the “unsaved,” disciples further the gospel of Christ by genuinely sharing our Lord’s love in concrete, personally meaningful and life transforming ways.  In his often quoted prayer, St. Francis petitions the Lord to become an instrument of His love and channel of His peace.  Contemporary disciples share the gospel through myriad types of ministry that make a fundamental difference in the practical lives of people whom they encounter.