By David Faust
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love . . .” (Galatians 5:22, New International Version).
Not surprisingly, love is listed first among the Fruit of the Spirit.
Love comes first in a lot of places, like Hollywood movies. Love can soften the hearts of rugged men. It stirs songwriters to compose lyrics (both good and bad) about romance. If you mention The Beatles’ “She Loves You,” Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say ‘I Love You,’” Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” and the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love,” a lot of us hear familiar tunes playing in our minds.
Love comes first in Colossians 3:12-14, which lists a cluster of positive qualities before adding, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (New International Version).
Jesus summed up God’s Law in two overarching commandments: “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor” (Mark 12:30-31). The apostle Paul wasn’t kidding when he wrote, “The greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Love Misused
Unfortunately, many in our culture don’t understand how God defines love. Even in churches, love is a word that’s often spoken but practiced too rarely.
I’m not lovesick, but I’m sick of seeing love misunderstood and misused.
Love is sick when it becomes an excuse for damaging and abusive behavior.
Love is sick when it’s mainly about getting instead of giving—about selfish gratification rather than making things better for someone else.
Love is sick when it’s considered something you “fall into” or “fall out of.” Love is not a hammock! Healthy love engages the intellect and will, as well as the emotions. It’s a choice to make, a commitment to uphold, a covenant to honor, a gracious way to behave.
Love gets sick whenever the shifting sands of human opinion replace the solid foundation of scriptural truth. Song lyrics like “it can’t be wrong if it feels so right” are wrong even if they sound right. Biblical instructions like “you shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14), “avoid sexual immorality,” “learn to control your own body” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4), “husbands, love your wives,” and “the wife must respect her husband” (Ephesians 5:25, 33) are not prudish holdovers from a discarded moral code. The Creator included these principles in his Owner’s Manual to show us how life is supposed to work. One of the Great Physician’s prescriptions for healthy living is to “love one another, for love comes from God” (1 John 4:7).
Love is sick when it’s impatient, unkind, envious, boastful, prideful, dishonoring, self-seeking, easily angered, and clinging to wrongs; but love is healthy when it rejoices in the truth and it protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Love in Action
Open your eyes, and you might see this fruit of the Spirit on display in several places today. A mom cuddles her baby. A nurse goes the extra mile to ensure her patient’s comfort. A teacher spends an extra hour after class, helping a student learn. A schoolgirl makes sure another kid doesn’t have to eat lunch alone. A man mows the yard next door because his neighbor is ill. A church member writes an encouraging note, thanking the minister for a helpful sermon.
Love is the fertile soil where other virtues thrive and grow. Let’s keep it at the top of the list.
Next Week: JOY.
David Faust serves as contributing editor of Christian Standard and senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the author of Honest Questions, Honest Answers.
Author: Christian Standard
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