Love Wins
Despite the title, this is not another article about the recent Supreme Court decision. For my personal beliefs on that issue, click here and/or here. If you struggle with your feelings toward our government and the direction our country is headed, I would direct you here or here.
That said, despite all of the misuse of the phrase “love wins,” love does, in fact, win!
Love wins in our marriages when a husband and wife follow the example Christ, given to us in Ephesians 5:25-33. Instead of a home where the battle for supremacy is waged at every turn, you have a unit functioning together in love: forgiving, supporting, encouraging, and helping each other as God would have us to do.
Love wins with our children when we “bring [our children] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Instead of homes ruled by childish whims and tantrums, we will have homes where children are disciplined in love (Proverbs 13:24) and teaching is done through example, discussion, and instruction instead of yelling, demanding, and domineering. Love wins when our children respond in kind, respecting, obeying, and honoring their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3; Proverbs 31:28).
Love wins in our churches when members support each other and recognize the varying functions that God gave to each as He willed (1 Corinthians 12:11). When the behind-the-scenes members do not envy the public eye members and the public eye members learn to appreciate and validate the behind-the-scenes members, love lets them understand that all those gifts were distributed “for the common good” not for arguments and divisions (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
The list could go on: love wins in our schools, our friendships, our workplaces … The list is infinite. That is because the Source of love is infinite. May we never forget the ultimate definition of love found in 1 John 4:7, “God is love.” In fact, reading 1 John 4 tells us that if we do not allow love to rule, we cannot even know God.
Love: not accept, tolerate, like, permit or condone.
Love – as defined and exemplified by God – wins every time.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)
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