Nothing Else Matters

Nothing Else Matters


What is that something that makes nothing else matter?

Money? Success? Fame? Stuff? Power? Freedom? Relationships?

This list could go on and on. But think about it, what is the one thing that matters most to you? Is that one thing really worth all your effort and time? Maybe it is. In all honesty for a lot of us, it probably is not.

I'm trying to make that one thing, love. It's taken a long time, and I'm not saying I'm there or I have it down, but my life has changed since I allowed God to work that concept into my heart. And this isn't some concept coming from me. The Bible tells us how important love is. Look at 1 Corinthians 1-3

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Paul says a few specific things about what we are if we don't love others: a "noisy gong," a "clanging cymbal," and the most potent, "nothing." The deed in and of itself does not matter. "If I gave everything...to the poor...but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing." He said even if he possessed all knowledge, and knew all of God's plans, he would be nothing. Because wisdom alone is just wisdom. Knowledge of God alone is meaningless with out love.

Look at Jesus' response when asked what the greatest commandment was (Matthew 22:37-40)

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two. And both start with Love. Love your God. Love your neighbor. Not suggestions. Not things that might be a good idea. These are commands. Imperative directions. An order.

Ok so I think we can proceed with that established. We are to love God with heart, soul and mind. Next we are to love our neighbor as we do ourselves. The knowing of this is different than the application or understanding of it.

First off, what is love? (cue music) Now that the song is out of your head...we stumble into a beehive of interpretation. Poets, authors, musicians, artists, and many more have tried to define this allusive concept since the beginning of time. Paul the Apostle puts it simply thus, "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

Many would call love an emotion. I think too often love is reduced to merely an emotional response. But it is more than that.

Love is a choice.

A decision to act. It may not be a logical response. But love is not logical. True love is not simply a romantic feeling that can change when your feelings are hurt, "love endures through every circumstance." The thing love has been reduced to would say differently. That false degenerated version of love would tell you to seek revenge on some one. To make them feel what you felt. Love based on how someone makes you feel, fluctuates as much as your feelings toward that person do. That is not love. That is a fickle fluctuation of feelings. Love is stronger than that.

You've been hurt by someone you love. You still love them. You don't try to make them hurt too. That is vengeance. And that is for God.

Love doesn't bow out at the first sign of rough weather. That is not love, that is convenience. It's easy to love someone if they are always around. Always giving you the attention you seek from them. Love will ride out the rough times. Love will give of itself to help the other instead of seeking returns.

Love is not what we see portrayed in most movies that claim to be about love. Love is not sex. Love is not teddy bears and candy. Love doesn't quit. We do.

When we don't feel love for someone, it's because we've stopped viewing it as a choice, and it is based on their reactions toward us.

He lied to me, but I choose to love him anyway.

She cheated on me, but I choose to love her anyway.

They sabotaged my plans, but I choose to love them anyway.

Again this could go on and on. But how does this apply to God, to Jesus? How do we show love to someone who is not physically with us? I've been blessed to learn about this over the last few years.

I think in a way God has used a certain friendship to teach me this. Again, I'm not claiming I've got it all down. I don't. But I have learned some things, and I'm still learning. Love can be expressed in many ways with out having to be in the same place. Can we not love with words? Actions? Patience and understanding? Can we not love with out expecting to be loved in return. Love is not a two way street. True love goes from one person to the next. Regardless of how the other person feels. It feels better to us if they love back, but that is their choice to make.

Love should be seen a lot like Faith and Hope. They are grouped together by Paul, and Love is called the greatest. Faith and Hope are not dependant upon seeing something physically with our eyes. Why should Love be different? The answer is that we have been taught that love is not love unless it is reciprocated, and we can see it.

How many of us have heard, or even said, "If you really love me...show me," or some variation of that? Apart from the Bible telling us God loves us, have we not already seen the ultimate show of love in Jesus? His whole life on Earth was the greatest expression of love. He crossed over from Heaven to live within the limitations of a human body, the flaws, the pain. He lived a normal life. He went to school, ate lunch, probably smelled from time to time. Then when he came of age, he went around to the lame, the blind, the demon possessed and healed them. People no one else wanted to have anything to do with.

Depending on your views on how he grew up, he even picked his disciples from guys who didn't make the cut. Rough blue collar salt of the earth working men to be is core group. He would go on to do everything backwards to how society saw it. And his motive was love. God loved us so he sent his Son. His son lived out that love. And ultimately he died to restore us to the love of God. Something that had been broken since Adam and Eve at from the tree.

While I've never spent time with Jesus, in person. I know he loves me. And because I know that, I know God loves me. And I choose to love Jesus, to love God. How do I show him I love him? By loving others. This, I think, is how the two commands Jesus gives go hand in hand. We give our love to God in spending time worshiping Him, in all aspects of worship, and by loving others. John 13:35 says this:

35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus died for us so that we can live for him. In living for him, we are given opportunity after another to show love. Sometimes we get it right, a lot of times we mess up. But we can change that. If we focus on God, loving him, getting to know him by reading scripture, praying, being still and listening instead of just asking him for things, we will learn more about love. And in doing that we can show that love to others, and they will know that God loves them.

One of my favorite books is "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander. There is a passage in that book where a man, who appears to be wise beyond his years speaks of love. He says: "Indeed, the more we find to love, the more we add to the measure of our hearts." This reminds me of a verse in Phllippians (4:8-9)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

How I take the verse and quote is like this. The more we think on good and pure things, the more we find to love, the more love we have in our hearts to give. The more love of God we have to share to others. If we find the beauty to love in a leaf, or pebble, things God created, we can see his love for us in all his creation, we can find an infinite source of love to draw upon to share with others. And in that we will find peace, no matter the situation.

So for me, the thing that makes nothing else matter is love. Not just romantic love, but Godly love. Without it, without Him, everything I do is nothing. Static noise. So I pray that I may love more fully those around me, and love God with a choice rather than a reaction for what he has done.