Let’s admit: love today is pretty pathetic. If you saw the title, you see what I think of it: love today is like a sticker. It’s short-lived. It can tear at any moment (even over the most trivial of things). It peels, so you can be in a relationship and always pull it off and stick it on somewhere else.
But then there is Concrete Love (true love), and to be honest with you, I still have to see someone outgun Jesus.
Jesus is on the cross, and even in His agony, He still emphasizes with people. On the cross, Christ is hanging between two criminals. Although both these men are dying, they join the crowd to mock and insult Jesus. Then one of them comes to his senses.
He sees Jesus whom was unfairly tried and sentenced to die, beaten mercilessly, stripped naked, shamed publicly. Even on the cross, Jesus is not left to die: his enemies take turns hurling insults, and the soldiers gamble for his clothes.
Yet in all this appalling mistreatment, Jesus responds, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34 NKJV).
The criminal was confounded and soon enough he was convinced that this man was more than just a man whom would have given himself over to self-pity or bitterness. He was God.
In his penitence, the criminal stands up for Christ against his friend: “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”
Then the criminal turned over to Jesus and said, “Lord,remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus’ response is a compassionate response of forgiveness. He overlooks the man’s faults and doesn’t even take a moment to defend himself. Jesus, filled with love, answers the man’s confession: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43 NKJV).
Christ’s example of love is concrete.
This is true love. It’s permanent. It doesn’t waver. It’s not bias. It’s 100% selfless. Bible is full of details of what true Concrete Love looks like:
- “…covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8)
- “…without hypocrisy” (Rom 12:9)
- “…builds up” (1 Cor 8:1)
- serves others (Gal 5:13)
- …is fervent (1 Pet 1:22)
- …is sacrificial (1 John 3:11,14,16-19)
And the list goes on. Thankfully, as believers, we had this nature of love inserted into us, but like concrete it needs to structured, built and founded. 1 John 3:18 says:
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
Prayer: Jesus, show us how to love like you – found in us a concrete love. Build us to express a compassion that is strong, endurable, patient and selfless.
FOLLOW THE SON 