1 Peter 4:8 “Love covers a multitude of sins”.
“Discipleship means discipline!” – C S Lewis.
The measuring gauge of Christian maturity is “Love”. The best sermons are always preached without words. Love is a verb, not an adjective. Love cannot be described with words, it must be felt. Genuine love is a trained discipline. It is not a natural response to love those who hate us and who have harmed us. Both biologically and emotionally we are built with reflex responses. ‘Reflex action’ is an involuntary response of our nervous system to an adverse circumstance. Pulling our hand away from a hot or cold surface is a reflex action. Our immediate response to “heat” or “hurt” is withdrawal. The reflex reaction of betrayal or backbiting is anger or bitterness. Forgiveness and love is not our first response. However, disciples would train and rewire their reflexes to respond in love and not react in hate.
Jesus reprimanded the two disciples who wanted to bring judgement on the Samaritans. The Samaritan refused to give ‘bed and breakfast’ to Jesus while Jesus and the disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them (Luke 9:54-55). Retaliating in wrath and retorting in hostility is the world’s response but disciples should respond in love.
Every fiber of a disciple should be wired with love. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a). “Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love” – Nelson Rockefeller.
Discipleship means discipline:
1. Flaunting: A disciplined disciple will not boast or blow their horn. Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth, from a stranger and not from your own lips (Proverbs 27:2). Braggers lack genuine love.
2. Flattering: There is no flattery in genuine love. A flattering mouth works ruin (Proverbs 26:28). Flattery will never be found in the vocabulary of disciples.
3. Frenzying: True love is not easily angered and authentic love is quick to forgive. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Fury is foolish. Uncontrolled anger is not found in a disciplined disciple.
The reflexes of a disciple are trained to respond in love. Bridling our senses and our sensitivity is the mark of maturity.
Disciplined disciples are gauged by genuine love.
1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, bridle my reflexes to respond in love and not in anger, arrogance or antagonism. May my best sermons be responses of love. Amen.
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