2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NKJV): Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
GOD is LOVE, and He loves us with an EVERLASTING LOVE. And His greatest commands to us are these: LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS. We are to love Him with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and we are to love others as ourselves.
THIS LOVE is a CHOICE, not merely an EMOTION or FEELING; it is SACRIFICIAL, SELFLESS, SINCERE, and GIVING, and THIS LOVE is PATIENT and KIND; it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud; it does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no records of wrongs; THIS LOVE does not delight in evil but REJOICES with TRUTH; it ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES; THIS LOVE never fails.
JESUS walked in THIS LOVE, and He expressed it throughout His earthly ministry as He was LED of the SPIRIT, with a HEART of COMPASSION for those in spiritual, emotional, and physical need. He met people where they were, in whatever condition or state they were in, and He wasn't afraid to TOUCH THEM in their affliction, turmoil, ignorance, lack, sickness, pain, suffering, brokenness, or heartache. He wasn't afraid to TOUCH DIRT or to LOVE OTHERS when it was inconvenient, unpopular, or unacceptable.
Despite THIS LOVE, JESUS never compromised HIS MESSAGE or HIS MISSION: He PREACHED, TAUGHT, and DEMONSTRATED the WORD, KINGDOM, and POWER of GOD; He REVEALED the CHARACTER, HEART, and WILL of GOD the FATHER to sinners and believers alike, and He PROCLAIMED the GOSPEL upon which we base our Faith, that He JESUS is the only WAY, TRUTH, and LIFE, and that NONE shall enter unto the FATHER except THROUGH HIM.
JESUS' LOVE affirms through GOD's WORD; it encourages, uplifts, inspires, edifies, motivates and instructs through words that are SPIRIT and LIFE; HIS LOVE pursues every soul, heart, and mind, every man, woman, and child who has ears to hear and eyes to see; HIS LOVE PERSEVERES and NEVER GIVES UP, despite the odds, the challenges, or the adversary. HIS LOVE is UNCONDITIONAL; it looks beyond the physical package straight to the heart, and it sees a SOUL WORTH SAVING, one WORTH FIGHTING FOR; HIS LOVE INVITES everyone to the ALTAR, the TABLE, the KINGDOM, the THRONE of GOD.
HIS LOVE TRANSFORMS, renewing minds, changing lives, saving souls; HIS LOVE FORGIVES, BEARS NO GRUDGE, CARRIES NO OFFENSE; HIS LOVE INTERCEDES for those who cannot or will not come to GOD and PRAY for themselves; and HIS LOVE CARRIES US HOME, into the eternal presence of GOD because JESUS LOVES without RESERVATION, BIAS, FAVORITISM, or DISTINCTION. And as HIS AMBASSADORS, this is our MISSION, the GREAT COMMISSION: To love GOD enough to GO beyond ourselves, our fears, our insecurities, our limitations, our comfort zones, our churches, our homes, our communities, our jobs, our schools, our cities, our states, our countries, and our territories to LOVE OTHERS, SHARE the GOSPEL, and DRAW the LOST to GOD. All we are really CALLED to DO is LOVE THEM LIKE JESUS.
