Without Love…It’s all Pointless

I can remember as a little girl, I hated to get into trouble (truth be told, I still do).  I greatly disliked the feeling of doing the wrong thing, and I also disliked losing the respect or trust of another because of it.  And for the most part, I followed the rules and guidelines because I genuinely wanted to do what was right—at home, at school, at church…  But even though that was at the core of my heart a good deal of the time, I, like most of us, occasionally did the right thing for the wrong reasons.

For example, I have a distinct memory of being fifteen and my dad telling me that I was being rebellious.  What was I being rebellious about?  I truly do not remember, but I do remember thinking that I had done what my dad told me to do, so why was he so upset with me?  How was I being rebellious when I had done what was expected of me?  That moment has always stuck with me. It is only over the years that I have been able to deduce what he meant:  He was upset because although I had done the right thing, I had done that thing with the wrong attitude and motivation.

In the Bible, it is the same.  The condition of the heart matters.  The intentions of the heart matter.  In Matthew 7, Jesus says this:  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”  Then here comes the clincher:  “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Wow…how is that possible?

Jesus is not saying that we should not prophesy, cast out demons and do wonders, but He clarifies in verse 24 that we must hear what he says and do it.  And what was at the heart of His every command?  Love.  Paul expounds on this idea in I Corinthians 13 when he says that we can prophesy, have deep understanding, great faith, and more, but if we don’t have love…it’s all pointless.  If we go on to read the rest of the chapter, Paul defines practical love very clearly.  He talks about being patient, kind, not being rude…  How often do we do things for Christ, but miss the heart of His commands? How often do we do what we’re told but do it with an unwilling heart or lack the sacrificial motivation of love?

Today, let’s check our hearts.  If we are doing the right things, but we lack the right motivation to do them, let’s talk to God. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to clear the way in our hearts for the flow of God’s love.  It may take some repentance, forgiveness, and repositioning to clear the way, but it will be eternally worth it.  This week take the time to read 1 John 2, and let us grow in God’s love.

–Katie Botello