Actress Mary Martin was on the road
performing in the musical, “South Pacific.”
Just before going on stage she received a note from a dear friend,
lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein. The short
note said: Dear Mary, a bell’s not a bell
until you ring it. A song’s not a song
till you sing it. Love in your heart is
not put there to stay. Love isn’t love
till you give it away.”
One picture of Jesus that the
Gospels provide is how His ministry was marked by the love He gave away.
St. Mark tells us of a leper who was
healed by a willing Jesus – the cured man was on the receiving end of Jesus’
love. A large crowd gathered around
Jesus and he had compassion on them by providing a meal from only a few fish
and loaves of bread – the crowd was on the receiving end of Jesus’ love. In spite of the disciples, parents were
invited to bring their children to Jesus so that He could bless them – the
children were on the receiving end of Jesus’ love.
As Jesus walked with His disciples
on the road up to Jerusalem He explained, according to Mark’s Gospel, that “the
Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand
Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill
Him. Three days later He will
rise.” And then it happened just as
Jesus said. And we – you and I – were
on the receiving end of Jesus’ love!
“Love isn’t love until you give it
away.” Jesus gave His very life for us
so that we might be redeemed from God’s wrath and punishment for our
disobedience. Having shed His blood on
the cross, Jesus reconciled us to our heavenly Father. Having become God’s children through faith in
Jesus, we receive every blessing that God can give – forgiveness for our sins,
peace to sooth our hearts, and love which assures us that nothing can separate
us from our Lord.
Jesus took your sins upon Himself. He suffered the punishment you deserved. He gives you credit for His perfect life and makes you righteous and holy before the Father. If that’s not love, then love doesn’t exist. To whom can you give the love of Jesus? Your spouse? Your kids? A suffering friend? God has planted the love of Jesus in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Be sure to joyfully and with thanksgiving give that love away!
