Love is God’s Manner of Living. It’s His characteristic way of acting. It’s His modus operandi! Jesus is the proof! “God loved the world this way: He gave His only Son” (John 3:16)  Loving is Giving! At Christmas we seem to get it. Yet, in the long run “love is the only thing there’s just too little of!” (Burt Bacharach) Where’s the problem?

Hours before His death Jesus provided a clue: “Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, it’s never more than one grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. Right now I am storm-tossed. What am I going to say? ‘Father, get Me out of this’? No, this is my purpose. I’ll say, ‘Father, put Your glory on display through Me.’” (John 12:24-27)

Jesus was a “human-being-seed,” filled with “all of God’s character.” (Colossians 2:9) His purpose was to display the extravagant dimensions of God’s love. (Ephesians 3:18) Yet, He struggled: “Right now I am storm-tossed.” Why? His fulfillment, like a seed, would only come via the route of surrender: giving His heart away for the well being of others, “sinners” (Romans 5:8) and “enemies.” (Romans 5:8)

LOVE IS RISKY BUSINESS!

“Love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely…” (Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving)

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one. Avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of selfishness”
(C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves)

Living is Loving (Giving)! Anything less is mere existence, devoid of satisfaction.

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. 
1 John 3:16