love from hope
hearing…the love which you have toward all the saints through the hope being laid up for you in the heavens. Colossians 1:4-5
What motivates your love? Do you love your neighbor for what you hope you get in return? Do you love your family from a strong emotional attachment? Do you love your co-workers for the sake of peace in the office? Or does your love for others flow from a relationship with God which allows you to love others in a 1 Corinthians 13 way?
Paul highlights the Colossians’ love for others, and he says that it comes from a hope they have. How can hope motivate love? When your eyes are firmly fixed on the glories to come and not the struggles of this world, you can love others selfishly. When we see the reward of eternity with Christ, we no longer need to get something out of our relationships here on earth. When we realize the joy of standing in the presence of the Prince of Peace, we no longer have to manipulate our circumstances for the sake of peace now.
The reality of eternity does affect today. Hoping in today will not move us closer to God. Hoping a certain candidate wins this fall will not allow us to love our neighbor any better nor will it move this country closer to God. That will only occur when the Church sets its mind on the need to make disciples, not public policy. And this will only happen when our hope is set on eternity, on the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior, and our eternal fellowship with Him.
Free yourself up to love others by recognizing that your hope rests in heaven.
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