Love! This Christmas

Christmas is the time to renew our Jesus love as Christians. We are surrounded by a world starving for love.

"Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm" (Eccl 4:11 NIV).

                                               Photo by Bill Hunt (c) 2010

Have we forgotten how to be Christians? In this world it seems everything works against maintaining Christ in our lives. Have we forgotten how to love with the love of Jesus? Have we forgotten the value of the witness of true love?

Would you agree? We feel we are brain washed as we watch the daily deluge of horrible news from the media. We share in all the daily evils of the world all at once. We become discouraged day by day and we lose our way. We forget the answer is Jesus. If Jesus truly is the Son of God, he has to be the answer.

To say this as positively as possible, we must consider the predominating contrasts of evil and good in life. Fear is the opposite of faith. Despair is the opposite of hope. Hate is the opposite of love. Apathy-caring; welfare-work; murder-life. Adultery-faithfulness; lust-purity; greed-generosity; take-give. And so it goes! War-peace; poverty-prosperity; abortion-life; rape-protection; lie-truth. Politician-statesman; denial-honesty; idolatry-worship. Sadly, most of us are more familiar with the terms of evil then the terms of good. So who is training us?

The answer to this gruel of life is Jesus! He is love personified. He lived love and he taught love. His primary commands are love, to love God, and to love man. A married couple is a man and a woman who become one with God. Good Samaritans are those who unconditionally love without regard to race, culture, status, or individual circumstance.

Christ-type-of-love is from the heart and spirit. Mary Magdalene anointed his hair with costly oil, smoothing with her hands, and caressingly washed his feet. Today, fear keeps us from such expression. A hug, a hold, a touch, a kiss, or a kind word heals. It's no wonder we have a world starving for love. The acquaintance who most expressed Christ's love to me was a nun who kissed me on the lips every time she met me at a prayer meeting. Her holy kiss was unmistakable. A derelict with a butcher knife later martyred her as she served him. Like Jesus, her love knew no measure.*

“No greater love has anyone than to lay his life down for another,” said Jesus. “A new commandment I give you, love one another as I have loved you.” “They will know you are my disciples by your love.” These should be heart engraved mottoes to every true Christian.

Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to be born in an animal field stable. He became man to live among us, to exemplify, to teach, and to heal us. He gave his life in a torturous, painful death as the ultimate result of man's sin. If we repent and trust in him, he will will greet us at heaven's gate “with joy unspeakable and full of glory!” Become a true witness of Jesus. Love! this Christmas.

*1-27-1996 Sisters Edna Mary Cardoza and Marie Julien Fortin were killed;  two others seriously wounded, Blessed Sacrament Convent, Waterville, Maine.

• Bill Hunt © 2010

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