Retreat Day 1: A Loveless Grace?

In this the first day of my annual respite, I have been overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions which drive my proverbial electronic plum to articulate these thoughts in any sort of cogent manner.  Having worshiped with some friends at Eagles Landing First Baptist in Atlanta, Ga., I had the opportunity to see their team in action and preview how they function together.  They have the benefit of years together.  Years which could either breed joy or contempt.  With all of the above possible, I noticed something unique in them as an outsider.  Though I have no doubts that conflict arises among them, I was struck by their love.  They love one another and what they get to do together.  It’s not forced nor does it seem contrived in any way.

In many ways I have been thinking about grace lately.   What it is and how it should manifest itself in a Christian’s life toward others? When someone calls a person gracious, what do they really mean?  Are they generous, calm and subdued, understated or humble? Is there a distinction in grace?  Is there more than one type?  More pertinent to my thoughts at this time is wondering can grace really be grace without love?

It seems that I can show all kinds of common grace to others and yet love may or may not have to be my motive or ambition.  For example, I may be gracious when I buy Christmas presents for my family, but beyond the sacrifice financially love does not have to be my motive.  My motive could be that I want to one up them or make them see me a certain way.  A gracious deed, yet devoid of love.  Paul seems to indicate this in verse 3 of 1 Cor. 13 “If I give away all I have…”.

When we interact with one another in the body, we are often tender, kind, helpful, generous, and patient in our outward expression.  In a word.. we’re gracious.  Yet if we only look to our external actions and not to the motive of our hearts it is at least possible that we act in a benevolent manner but not in a loving manner.  As love not only involves the items above but also includes many other attributes as 1 Cor. 13 indicates.  (See vv. 4-7).  So how do we measure up? In our daily lives are we showing merely tolerance, benevolence, and common social graces?  What motivates us to do these things?  Is there an advantage for us?  What is the relationship of love to the way we treat each other daily?  Now, what does Christ desire it to be?   I have said on several occasions in cynical moments that “people do not care who you are until they know what you can do for them!”  This has sadly played itself out to be true in many aspect of life over the years.  I am fighting that temptation in my life, though I am sure I fail at it regularly.  I want to invite you to fight with me for the sake of the Gospel to rid our lives of loveless grace.  It may make all the difference in the world. Literally.

1 Corinthians 13

13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  (ESV)