Learning From God – Unselfish Love

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, …” (Jn. 3:16) “… to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

According to Webster’s Dictionary the word “selfish” is defined as “having such regard for one’s own interests and advantage that the happiness and welfare of others become of less concern than is considered right or just; too much concerned with one’s own welfare.” Hmmmm…sounds like a pretty good description of most folks today; does it not? Everything seems to be about me, me, me, and just in case you did not catch it – ME!!!! It is dreadfully sad that most people cannot see beyond themselves. If God and Jesus had exercised the common selfishness of the world we would all be lost for eternity and empty of all hope of salvation and forgiveness.

If we were to look to our heavenly Father to learn how to love, we would find that His way is not the way of the world. The Father teaches His children to love with an unselfish love. God did not find one person of all mankind worthy of His love; and He did not find anyone that had earned it, or could do something to deserve His love. There were no possibilities of warranting the love of God. Thanks be unto God that His given love was not determined by anything we could do, for we could never ascend to such glorious heights. The Father of His own choosing gave His love to undeserving creatures simply because He could, He desired to, and He chose to give it. The Father gave His sovereign love at a tremendous sacrifice on His part – His “only begotten Son.” He gave His “own blood.” Why? Why would He do that for you and me? Who are we to be adorned with such a passionate holy love?

Honestly, we are nothing. There is no valid justification for us to be recipients of the sacrificial love of the eternal God, or the sacrificing of His Son upon the cross. If we could learn to love unselfishly and sacrificially as the Father does, who knows what a lasting impact it would make on those around us? It certainly would cure a lot of ill will towards others. The problem seems to be that we are too self-centered to regard the interests and happiness of others. Christians are to lose “self” in Christ, and in His image give sacrificial unselfish love, not searching for evidences of merit.