THE CHARACTER OF LOVE 1..

The Bible talks a lot about the subject of love. This kind of Love is Agape (brotherly love). In a previous discourse, we shared about husbands loving their wives. The Bible further encourages the married couple to love one another..'Above all things have fervent love for one another for love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). However, we are expected as Christians not to love only our
wives or husbands or children or family members only. We are also expected to love God and our neighbors also. Incidentally, the two greatest commandments given to us is hinged on the love of God and neighbor. Jesus said to him;'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it..you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets' (Mathew22;37-38)
So the question is who is our neighbor? A neighbor can be anyone; our fellow humans whom we co-exist with, regardless of geographical location, race,  skin color, social class, gender, religion etc.even non believers are our neighbors. We cannot claim to love God and be unkind to our neighbors for it has been written in (1 John 4:20) If someone says, ' I love God' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

So let us be careful in the way we treat and feel about each other; our employees, our domestic staff etc. We are to love our neighbors just as we love ourselves, this is a command from God Himself..the author of Love.

Dear Brothers, when we say we love someone, do we really mean it? how can we prove it? A show of Love is usually backed up by deeds or action..Even as the apostle John said; 'My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). Jesus Christ has proved his own love for us by dying on the cross for the remission of our sins that we may be reconciled  to the Father. The Bible records in (John3:16) For God so LOVED  the world that HE GAVE  His only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have Everlasting Life.

So the question is...what are you giving or doing as a Christian to show Love for God and neighbor? Husbands, how can you prove your love to your wives? Wives how can you prove your love to your husbands? Show an act of kindness to your spouse, domestic servant or neighbor today. How can we prove our love for God? The Lord has said in His word that if we Love Him we will keep His commandments.. In effect, obedience to God's Words is a way we can demonstrate our Love for Him.

Finally, 'Beloved let us Love one another for Love is of God and everyone who Loves is born of  God and knows God. He who does not Love does not know God for God is Love' (1 John 4: 7-8)