AS FOR ME – I WILL LOVE

What does love look like in a hurting world?

Josh Biddle | Citipointe Ipswich

Have you ever walked into a room where it feels like everyone is down and out, and it feels like nothing positive is happening in the room? People may be gossiping, swearing, or criticising each other. I know that I’ve found myself in rooms like that, and there’s no doubt you have, too. It may be at school, it might be at home, and they’re not enjoyable rooms to be in; they almost feel dim. The good news is that you can change those rooms through love. Not with a romantic love because that would be weird. But we see the right type of love in John 3:16.

For God so LOVED that He GAVE. This is the type of love we have; it’s a ‘giving’ love. A love that sees people in their need and gives. It can look like an encouraging word, a helping hand, or giving a gift. The options are almost endless! But it’s a love that means you and I can brighten any room we walk into. It’s not because you are Superman or Wonder Woman, it's because you have already received the love of God. When you received Jesus into your life, you received God’s greatest gift of love; God’s ‘giving’ love. Now you get to give it to others!

John 4:19 puts it best: “We love because He (God) first loved us.” And as we freely receive God’s love, we get to freely give it too. I know what you’re thinking: ‘What happens if I give too much and I run out?’ That’s where things get fun, because God’s love will never run out. So, it’s time for you to give it to the people around you!

There’s a story of a grade 11 boy who found himself at school in lots of those ‘dim’ rooms. His school grade had a ‘Cancel Culture’ and was creating lies and spreading rumours about each other. It was a big mess. One day, he realised that the people around him just needed to be loved. So, he bought packets of chocolates, came into school early on Friday mornings, and snuck chocolates into people’s lockers each week. Then he watched as grumpy grade 11’s would open their lockers and see a chocolate, just for them. The culture changed quickly in the school after that. Rooms that were dim were soon full of light as people felt loved. One boy learned that love is giving, and it changed his grade in school.

So, what can you do to give the love you’ve found to other people? Does it look like cleaning the kitchen for your mum? Maybe it's inviting a friend to your Youth group, or maybe it’s something WAY BIGGER. Whatever it may be, make sure that you give people love.