There’s a saying that goes: Love makes the world go round. Being a bit of a petrolhead I say it differently, but I suspect it comes down to the same thing: Love keeps the gears oiled. Have you ever heard how gears grind when they’re not oiled? 

Suddenly I start humming the following song: “Ubi caritas, et amor, Ubi caritas, Deus ibi est.” Translated: Where there is love, and compassion, where there is love, there is God, the Lord. 

I think the chirping birds inspired me early this morning, because right after this I started singing the following song: “I know my God is love; I know my God is love. This is enough, to know my God is love.” 

If you ask me to sum up God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in one word, it is love. The Bible says it was because of God’s overflowing love that He sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay for all our sins. This is the greatest act of love. 

For sure it is love that keeps the world going and the gears oiled. 

When one buys into God’s salvation plan and becomes part of the family, the love spills over to us. Then we do like the rest of the family, especially our brother, and give everything to let love take root.  

8Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it.  

Well, Jesus’ life depended on it, and He was indeed willing to sacrifice it for us sinful people. 

The English translation speaks of loving deeply. It’s not casual love. It’s not love that wants something in return. It’s not love that starts moving randomly or when you have time and feel like it. 

When you love with such intensity that it feels like your very existence depends on it, empathy becomes an instinct, extending even to strangers or, and this is the hard one, even to someone who has undermined or hurt you. 

This love is often opposed to the worldly way of loving. This love often takes a pound of flesh, sometimes more. This love does not ask if you have time or energy. Actually, love asks no questions and simply does. 

When you love with such intensity, it might seem irrational to others. Even if you come away with less than you started with, that’s fine too, because Jesus’ love cost His life. 

Living out such selfless love can be challenging in our current world, often focused on individual gain only. They don’t even understand when we give them such undeserved love. Some are even offended by it. 

However, when we live out real love and make a difference wherever we go, we do what Jesus does and keep the world in motion. Then the gears of the people around us stay oiled.  

Scripture
1 Peter 4:7-11 

Reflection
Is Jesus’ love spilling over to you?
Does your love spill over to others?
Where is it difficult for you? 

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for your self-sacrificing love for me. Help me to live it out everywhere. Even where it is tough to do so. Amen.