Loving is Doing

Another big theme in the book of 2 John (as it was in 1 John) is love.  John is all about loving each other, as well he should be.  Christ stated it as the 2nd most important commandment given to us (Matt 22:39).

But here, again, John tells us that love is not simply an emotion.  "Love means doing what God has commanded us." (2 John vs 6).  We can really not like a person yet still show them Christ's love through our actions.  We can not even know a person and share our love with them by what we do.  We can extend love to people by not judging them.  Love can be expressed by acceptance, by not discriminating, by serving, by listening.  It isn't something we have to feel.  It is something we do, simply because that is what He has commanded us to do.

There is no human way to show love to those we don't really like or know or agree with.  It is only through making the choice to share the love He has given us that we are able to give it to others.  I know I need to make this choice more often.  I need to deny my selfish ambitions and choose to obey Him; to honor Him through my actions.  I need to love others in spite of my feelings but because it is what He commands me to do as His child.