Our job is love!

Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrated his own love for us in this; while we were sinners, Christ died for us." I heard a preacher say, some very profound words, a few years ago. It has stuck close to my heart ever since. He said, "It's Jesus' job to save, it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict, it's God's job to judge, and it's our job to love." Mmm? Wow...seems pretty simple doesn't it. Easy Peasy!! Not so much. I'd love to say that I do this with no problem, but I would be lieing. I find myself trying to be Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit all in the same day, all the while, forgetting what my real job is...to love. I am to love. Why is that so hard? Not only am I to love, but I am to love as Jesus loves. It's not that I am not a loving person, but too many times, I have allowed my judgement to interfere, where I should have just applied a little love. If I had a nickle for every time I told my kids,"Don't judge them, pray for them", I would be rich. But, I fail to take my own advice at times. We walk around judging others, and yet we are appauled when they judge us. "Look at her. If she were a real Christian, she wouldn't dress like that." "They should go to church more often, maybe they wouldn't have so much drama." "Did you hear what she said? A real Christian doesn't talk like that." "Why does she stay in that relationship? He is only going to break her heart again." "They will never get saved. They are too hard headed." Wow!! I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Instead of applying love in all of the situations above, we apply our gossip, our disbelief, and our judgement. There was a time in my life, where I tried to play God, and the Holy Spirit, in my marriage. I was going to create the ultimate husband, or at least what I thought he should be. I was going to create conviction in him, but I only applied guilt, condemnation and low self esteem. Well, God had a plan for me. He literally moved me out of the marriage, so that he could deal with him...and me. I was in the way of what God was already trying to do with my husband. I was just a huge distraction. I was trying to create what only God could. I was applying judgement, where I should have applied love. My faith was strong, knowing that God would change him, but I failed to realize I needed changing too. All the while, God was there, just loving both of us. I was doing the wrong job. And, I wasn't very good at it. And when God took over, he created something more in my husband than I could ever have imagined. By me letting go, He created something new in me too. Too many times, we try to tell others in life, how to do their job. We always know how we would do it better...right? Wrong. We need to worry about the jobs we were created for. Simply put...we were created to love God. And if we love God, we should love one another. "Hate the sin, love the sinner." We want to be loved and filled with grace in our own sin, yet we forget to love our neighbor, when they are caught up in theirs. Love shouldn't take that much work on our part, we were created out of love. It runs through our veins. It is why we breathe. It is why we have grace, undeserving grace. It is why we are saved. It is why we live. The ultimate gift of love was given to us from our Father, His son Jesus. Are we not supposed to learn from our parents? Are they not the ultimate teachers? What is God to us? He is our father. He held us in his hands before our mother's carried us in their wombs. He is love. Love will open up doors that have been slammed shut and bolted up for years. Love will tear down walls that have been built to protect from fear, hurt and shame. Love will change hearts. Didn't it change yours? Love today, with the same love that Jesus gives you. That's our job. Our job is love! John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." I Peter 4:8, "Above all, love eachother deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." I John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.."