To Love

Love is a fruit, in season at all times and within the reach o f every hand. Anyone may gather it and no limit is set. ~Mother Teresa~

When I think of love, I think of it as something tangible, shown by gifts, affection, service, words of affirmation. I think of love as something that we learn to do as we get to know someone or trust someone. Love is a commodity of sorts that people can sort of "buy" in their actions toward one another. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that views love as such.

However, when I think of love in the way it was meant to be: sacrificial toward all regardless of anything that may or may not be in opposition toward one's belief system, life style, or society placement, it begs me to wonder if I, personally have put limitations on how and, especially, who I love.

I've heard a story many times about Penn Jillette being an atheist but still loving all regardless and he puts it like this. (summarizing for my understanding)

How much do you have to hate someone to not push them out from in front of a bus?

I see this in a couple of different lights. He says this regarding Disciples of Christ not sharing the word and light of eternal life with Christ with non-believers, specifically. Referring to the fear of evangelism and not "loving" someone enough to share with them the love of Christ.

But I also see this question in this way, that even though I may not "hate" someone that if I'm not showing everyone compassion and unfailing, unconditional love, in a sense I am "hating" them. Would I just stand there and let someone get hit by a bus simply because I don't know them?

Total strangers are fighting and dying for me everyday. They have never met me, my kids, my husband, likely my family large extended families. Yet they love me.

This brings me back to my original thought on love. How do we love without conditions? How do we give love without unknowingly forcing people to "buy" it?

Mother Teresa puts it quite simply and honestly (as well as Biblically) that love is a fruit. Fruit of the Spirit.

Galations 5: 22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Nothing gives anyone the right to show anyone anything but love! I have been through some hard times emotionally and struggled with loving someone. Justifying to myself that So-and-so didn't deserve my love. But when I look at this concept Biblically, and follow it to the essence of root, my love cannot be conditional.

Jesus didn't pick and choose who he was dying for. He said he was preparing a way for all. All we need to do is accept and believe. His love for the sinner was unconditional. He dined with them, extended his hand to them in times of need, had intimate conversations with them without them feeling wary.

My call to love regardless goes deeper than a superficial reward or an artificial appearance. To love someone, regardless of if they are like me or not, is a requirement. And when you love all truly, unwavering, without measure, and with true genuine deep caring and abiding love, humankind becomes beautiful in all circumstances.

1 Corinthians 13: 13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."