Demonstrated Love!

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans5:6-8 NIV

That's how God demonstrates His love for us, but how do we demonstrate our love for others? Are we to die for them--in an attempt to make ourselves seemingly more spiritual? No, there is no further need for a sacrifice by the death of anyone to demonstrate love to anyone.

We demonstrate our love for God, by living a life that is pleasing to Him.  We know how He wants us to live by reading His Word and when know we have pleased Him because of our relationship with Him.

We demonstrate our love for our children by always providing them with wise instruction, correcting and disciplining them along the way. We make sure that all their physical needs are met--appropriate housing, food and clothing. Buying them whatever they want, whenever they want it, is not a demonstration of love, but a demonstration of not knowing how to love since real love--cannot be purchased.

We demonstrate our love for others in how we treat them--considerate at all times, helpful when needed and living a life before them that demonstrates God's love for us. When we love others, we know we must warn and admonish them when their actions are unseemly--or ungodly. We don't allow those we say we love to continue on a dangerous path and say nothing. If we warn them and they ignore us--we have served our purpose, but if they heed the warning, they are saved from tragedy and God is pleased.

We demonstrate our love our spouses, by what we do for them, not just in saying words. Words are good--everyone likes to hear, "I love you," but words without action fail to adequately represent what love is. I'd rather see love in action than hear words--with nothing behind them. The reality of love between spouses is not a feeling, but a commitment--to stay the course--no matter what. Our feelings are too fickle to rely on since one minute--we're elated and the next--we're depressed, oppressed, angry, and all out of shape. Emotional reactions seldom cement relationships of any type and in a marriage--they are prone to ignite other issues--that would not exist, when love is demonstrated because then, we know how to step back from a situation and think before we act.

As long as human beings are capable of emotions that run rampant, we'll have songs of love and songs of hurt and betrayal, but the most important thing any of us can do is to see the love God has for us, and do as He does.When we love as He does, we're quick to forgive and keep going, as we are guided by Him.