Fervent Love

Yes, Valentine's Day is over.  The large red cardboard hearts are torn asunder.  The chocolate candy is no longer lingering on the mouth corners of small children.  The stores are no longer selling large pink stuffed gorillas, except on clearance.

Sad, isn't it?  The holiday that celebrates love in all red has finally come to a close.

... but SHOULD IT?

As Christians, Valentine's Day just reminds us that we need to actually "do" love all year long.  I Peter 4:8 says, "And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.

Now, this task wouldn't be so daunting for me, if the text said, "above all things have love for one another...."  That wouldn't surprise me.  What both surprises me and challenges me is the addition of the word "fervent."  Believers are supposed to love one another fervently.

So what in the world does that mean?  In this context, fervent means "to boil" or "to seethe."  Sound like a Valentine's Day love to you every day of the year?  Yes, and no.

The love we have for one another...the love we are supposed to exhibit to one another is a love that drives us to compassion.  It's a love that fuels or motives and our actions.  It's a love that is passionate about the object of it's attention.

I think all too often, I exhibit the verse like this:  "Above all else, have 'comfortable' love for each other."  I love in action and deed with all my human ability, but when it becomes a little uncomfortable to do so, I back away.

Do you do that too?

I wonder why?  I questioned myself about this, and do you know what myself said?  (Yes, I talk to myself on a frequent basis.  And yes, I also answer myself.   And yes, I know what people say about people who do that!)

My answer was eye-opening, to say the least - I love humanly.  I love as much in my human nature as I possibly can.  And the problem is???  

There's no way we can fully love...fervently love...in our human nature.  We do NOT have that capability.  The type of love that Peter is speaking of here is not human love.  It's is "otherworldly." It's spiritual.  It's a love born in the heart and Spirit of God and cannot be accomplished without Him.

So, the next time you feel yourself getting a little uncomfortable and backing away from truly caring about someone - think.  Think to yourself.  Am I loving fervently as Christ would love?  Am I putting his/her needs above my own?  Am I showing this person that he/she is important to me and to the Lord?

If your answer to yourself (see...you talk to yourself too!) is "no," then don't just try to make it happen.  Don't try to think of ways to manufacture "fervent" love on your own.  You will only end up tired and burned out, trying to live and love as Christ.

Instead, get on your face before Jesus and ask Him to fill you with a fervent love...a "boiling" love for your brothers and sisters in Christ.  Ask Him to show you what that means.  Get out His Word and read I Corinthians 13.  Really - read I Corinthians 13 and ask Him to drive "love" deep into who you are.

I promise you.  If you and I can learn to live this way...if we can learn to really LOVE this way, the reality of Christ will be shown throughout the world.  No longer will comfortable love be the norm, but fervent love will exude from every Believer in every place, and Jesus would be exemplified for Who He really is.  Now THAT would make for a great Valentine's!