THE WILL TO LOVE - Vital Christianity

63This is implied in the commands to love that God gives us. If love was dependent on ourfeelings, it would be foolish for Jesus to say, “Love one another” or “Love your enemies” sinceour feelings cannot be commanded or controlled. But if love is a matter of the will and if ourwills are surrendered to the Lord, we can love our enemies.I have found the late C. S. Lewis of Cambridge, England, most helpful at this point.Lewis writes:“The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste your time botheringwhether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this wefind one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone,you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you willfind yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourselfdisliking him less . . . The difference between a Christian and a worldly man isnot that the worldly man has only affections or ‘likings’ and the Christian has only‘charity.’ The worldly man treats certain people kindly because he ‘likes’ them;The Christian, trying to treat every one kindly, finds himself liking more and morepeople as he goes on—including people he could not even have imagined himselfliking at the beginning.” 3 (Emphasis added)The feelings of affection follow action, they are a byproduct of what we do. Noticewhen Jesus talks about loving our enemies He does not do so in abstract or emotional terms. Heties love to action. He says:“. . . pray for those who persecute you . . .” (Mt 5:44).Love finds expression in prayer, a petition for God’s goodness to come on the persecutor.Jesus is not demanding affectionate feelings; He is demanding prayer. And in the process ofpraying our feelings toward those who persecute us also change.Luke in his parallel passage expands this saying as he adds:“. . . do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you . . .” (6:27-28).Action words! Do something for that person. This is how you show your love.” Dogood,” not just talk about something good. And “bless” that person. This means that we are toexpress good wishes to God on their behalf.GODLY SONSJesus continues by pointing out that when we love this way--in action--we demonstrateour sonship.