Love is not always soft. Unfortunately, the abuse of language in our culture has led to this common misconception. Love takes many forms as it consistently seeks only good for it’s recipient. It is often expressed tenderly, yet some of the greatest expressions of love have required difficult decisions of uncompromising sternness. I believe it was Dr. James Dobson who either coined the phrase “Tough Love” or cashed in on it with one of his many bestselling books.
As I have come to wear the “blogger” label quite comfortably these days… I must admit I had my reservations titling this site “loveleaven” or anything with the word love in it for obvious reasons. As I mentioned above, there is a misconception about love in our culture, which has caused many, (men especially) to feel uncomfortable simply saying the words “I love you”, let alone having a discussion, reading, or writing about it. Nonetheless, I realized, through prayer and by the motivation of the Holy Spirit, that this is all the more reason to boldly express what I believe to be the underlying steady theme of the entirety of scripture… God is love, and growing to become like Him will both require and produce a walk of love both toward Him and our fellow man. This maturity in love includes the understanding of the necessity of love’s requirements.
Love’s requirements?
These seemingly contradictory terms would most certainly be viewed as an oxymoron by many; yet they undoubtedly go hand in hand. As the working definition of love in our culture has shifted over into an area of feeling and emotion void of responsibility, suggesting that love has requirements is a “bubble-bursting” statement to say the least. In fact, the idea will surely be rejected by many.
As we look into scripture for our basis, let’s begin with a red-letter sentence. “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (john 14:15) Jesus reiterates this statement in verses 21, 23, and 24 saying “he that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” And “if a man love me, he will keep my words.” Of course, the implications of such a statement are overwhelming, especially coming from the lips of Jesus. Can He really mean it? There must be hidden revelation here, something that a little translation can help us with, give us a little slack maybe…
If there is any slack, we know for certain that we cannot walk in total obedience to the law, yet it is clear that a pattern of living according to Christ’s commands is required. Mistakes will occur and we will fall short… but what is the standard of our life? In the practical, day-to-day, living, breathing “book of our life”, what is written on it’s pages regularly? If it is not holiness (expressed by loving others), then we do not love Him.
The apostle John apparently picked up this same notion as he walked with Jesus for three years. He states: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” (1 John 5:2,3) He also says: “And this is love, that we walk after His commandments” (2 John 1:6).
The belief that love is expressed in emotion and language only is surely a damning heresy. For by it, many have dishonored the name of Christ in action, relying on stirred emotion and empty words to display their so called “love” for Him. These occasional references of love for God, however often or sincere they may be, 
are a lifeless shell without obedience in action to bring them to life. After lifting His voice against the Pharisees to call them “hypocrites!”, Jesus expresses His frustration with them by saying “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, they worship me in vain.”
The church has gotten pretty good at expressing our love for God through word and song, and I believe we’ve also come a long way in allowing the expression of emotion toward Him amongst the congregation and in our worship services. For this I am thankful. But I strongly sense that the Holy Spirit is awakening the church again to the awareness that obeying His commandments is the greatest expression of Love to Him. Out of the abundance of an obedient heart, the mouth will then speak the praises of God, and our emotions can flow freely in worshipful adoration to Him. The lesser is included in the greater. Learning to walk according to Christ’s commandments will produce a zeal inside us that overflows in emotional, verbal expression of praise to Him. We must be aware, however, that emotional, verbal expression of praise to Him can also be achieved by those who are not walking in obedience to His commandments. Before we get too discouraged, let us be reminded that obeying the law and honoring God’s commands is not what it once was…
“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8
Love Leaven 