The Law of Love

Most of us don't have great associations with the word "Law".
Rules and boundaries, especially in our culture, aren't given a great deal of respect.

I have a theory on this.
I think if you submit to a "law" or rule for any reason other than Love, you have set yourself up for a trap to ultimately disrespect that law.

For me obeying the laws of the USA is an act of love. I love my country so I will obey it's laws because I want to see it prosper and the laws were designed to ensure that. Ultimately though, I obey God's laws first.
I obey God's laws for the same reason.

Love.

Now with a little investigation we can see many other reasons to obey laws, such as

the desire to look good in other people's eyes,

the desire to avoid punishment,

the desire to prevent others from harming me,

or the desire to believe that good actions make you a good person.

Any reason to obey a law other than love is laden with traps. Sparkly glinting bear trap teeth lie right under those ideas.

Take something as simple as lying.
For the Christian the bible clearly makes no exceptions on this- Do not lie.

The loving reason not to lie is that it hurts the God I love. He wants to love and protect me and all disobedience hurts Him, physically on the Cross and emotionally in His Spirit.

But what if my real motivation not to lie is I don't want people knowing I lie, I don't want to face trouble because of a lie, or I just don't want to think of myself as a liar?

Those reasons can keep me from lying for a time but eventually the opportunity will come up for a lie with no obvious consequences. A lie so innocent in appearance others will call it a White Lie. A kind lie. A lie that does good things.

Only love will keep me from making the choice to lie at that time.

Only the thought that my God, who knows more than I, will be directly hurt by a seemingly harmless choice.

Only that love will stop me from lying.

Only love can prevail over the "logic" of the moment.

Only Love can see what no human eye will ever see.
Only Love is there when we are totally alone.
Only Love can stand in the face of our innermost thoughts.
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails
If you read that verse in context, Love is the support that forms the foundation of every other act of Christian life.

I don't know about you, but this really makes me think long and hard about why I make the choices I do.
Especially in the areas where I am struggling to make choices that honor God's law.

Do I not curse because I don't want my kids picking it up?

Or do I not curse because I love God and His word says:
Ephesians 5:4  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
That and about 16 other verses put the kibbosh on the long list of curse words. Let's face it, under that definition, most curse words either describe something in a flilthy way or involve foolishly using words in places where they have no actual meaning.

To be truthful, I admit here and now it wasn't the Love of God that kept me from cursing, hence I occassionally curse when my kids aren't around.

BINGO- no love, no power.
No iron to the will.
No love and you get all bark and no bite.

God's Love made the Law and Christ's Love in us is what will keep it.
I can tell you, I will be asking God to help me love Him more in every area of my life.