Focus: Proof Of Love

Text: 2Cor.8:24

"Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf."

Love is more than a noun - that is, more than a thing. Love is more than an emotion - something you emote or feel. Love is more than language or speech - something you say. Love is a verb - it's something you do. Love is virtue - an expression of character.

John writes that God so loved the world that He GAVE his only begotten Son. True love gives selflessly. Real love forgives. Paul talked about the labor of love, meaning that real love labors for the good of others. Paul says, "And will very gladly SPEND and be SPENT for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved" (2Cor.12:15). For the sake of love, Paul was willing to spend and be spent. 

Love is indispensable for human existence and expendable for the good of others. The inwardness of love enables you to spend and be spent for the good of others.

Love is provable. The Scripture says about Jonathan, "And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (1Sam.18:1). Love is a soul thing - an affair of the inner reality. Jonathan loved David from the inner recesses of his being. 

The Scripture says, "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul" (1Sam.18:3). I repeat that love is a soul thing. Jonathan loved David as his own soul, and his love had proof. David testified of it, and he said, "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: VERY PLEASANT hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women" (2Sam.1:26). Jonathan's love for David was wonderful. His love was deep and extraordinary. 

Here is the proof of Jonathan's love for David: "And Jonathan stripped himself of the ROBE that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his GARMENTS, even to his SWORD, and to his BOW, and to his GIRDLE" (1Sam.18:4). Jonathan gave away his stuff and armor to David. The Scripture says that he stripped himself of his royal robe and other attires and gave them to him. His love was provable. It was love with evidence. Jonathan's love for David was evidential. It had proof.

When you read through the Scriptures dealing with David and Jonathan, you will find no record that says that David did anything to return Jonathan's love. Jonathan was the one always loving and giving to David, and he kept doing it without complaint. He did not one day confront David about not reciprocating his gestures of love. Real love keeps loving without minding.

Real love can be felt, smelt, tasted, seen and touched. It's visible, invincible and tangible. Let not unreturned love keep you from loving! God has given us the spirit of love. God has poured into our hearts the love of God through the Spirit. So let's love! Let's show the proof of our love!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter