Dear Church of the Open Bible,
I have a confession. I’m not a huge fan of “Love Languages.” This is the concept that there are five ways we receive love from others, popularised years ago in a book by Gary Chapman. I know this realization has been helpful for some, just not for me. It’s not because I’m a guy (I am!) or that love intimidates me (it does!). Rather, it’s because of how it can tend to limit love to preferences. My flesh does not need any help finding justification to restrict the love I am to show to others.
In James 2:8, James reminds us of the biblical command to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” The context shows us one way that we tend to limit love towards others, and that is in its scope. We can limit our love when it comes to the word “neighbour.” The result of this is favouritism. Loving those who love us, agree with us, look like us, sound like us, etc. But we can also limit our love when it comes to the phrase, “as yourself.” This speaks to the quality of our love. Without this qualifier, I am tempted to love my neighbour “as I see fit,” rather than with the sincere commitment I have towards myself.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Corinthians 13:7
How well are you loving these days? Are your preferences of being loved limiting how you are called to love others? Love is a facet of the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. My inability to love my neighbour as I should, brings me back to God’s incredible love for me in Christ and my reliance on the Spirit to produce that in my life. May we be characterized by His enduring love this week.