Love Little?

"And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven." (Luke 7: 36-48)

Love is in degrees. Often the question is not whether someone loves us, but how much do they love us? Do they love little or much?
Love therefore can either grow and increase, or it can wane and decrease. Said Jesus:

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold..." (Matthew 24: 12 NIV)

Here is a picture of "faded love," of love that has died, that has "grown cold." Love, however, by its very nature, is warm. Our love for God, and for each other, ought to be ever increasing, and ever intensifying, and ever growing warmer.

But, the sad fact of history has been that sinners, for the most part, "...with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." (Ezekiel 33: 31 KJV)

Men talk a big talk when it comes to their love for God, but God knows the heart, and God sees how the talk does not measure up to the actual state of the heart.

Jesus taught that the amount of love for God is in direct proportion to the level of perception a sinner has of his sins.

If a person feels he has few sins, or senses that the seriousness of his "sin situation" is slight, then he will not feel as great a love or appreciation for his being forgiven and saved from those sins, as opposed to someone, like the woman at Jesus' feet in the above story, who truly sees and feels the enormity of her sins and the enormity of the grace bestowed upon her in her forgiveness.

"This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." (John 21: 14-17 KJV)

It seems that Jesus was teaching Peter the same truth he was teaching to Simon the Pharisee. How much do you love me? Can we compare your love for me, Peter, with your love of fishing? Can we compare your love for me with your love for other things?

Interestingly, Jesus had taught Peter and the other disciples about love for God and love for him, saying:

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10: 37 NIV)

Did Peter love Jesus and service to him "more than" fishing? Do we as Christians love God and Christ "more than" life? "more than" ourselves? "more than" any single thing?

"So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?" (II Cortinthians 12: 15 NIV)

Paul said these words to his fellow Christians. But, God and Christ may just as well ask them of every sinner, of his own people. He asks each - "if I love you more, will you love me less?"

"How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!" (Song of Solomon 4: 10 NIV)

How sad the fact that most sinners love wine much more than they love God! Sad that they love themselves more than they love God! Sad that they love many things more than they love God! It is idolatry. It is tragic that it is written of many sinners - "...for they loved praise from men more than praise from God." (John 12: 43 NIV)

"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Dueteronomy 6: 5)

"O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer." (Psalm 31: 23)

But man has no love for God. This is because sin has changed his heart, corrupting it, and his love for God has been substituted by a love for sin and for self. Yet, the record remains true - "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." (I Corinthians 16: 22)

He is not talking about hypocritical love, or love that is merely oral or spoken, but about love that is genuine and that has been "shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost." (Romans 5: 5 KJV)

Real love, as Jesus taught, is revealed in works of love. A man who truly loves another will do all he can to help better the life of that other person.

"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen." (Ephesians 6: 24)

But, so many do not love the Lord Jesus Christ sincerely! How do we discern between the genuine lover of Christ and the pretended lover? In the deeds! In the activities! "By their fruit you shall know them," said Jesus. (See Matthew 7: 20)

"And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." (Deuteronomy 30: 6)

No man will ever love God truly without this work of circumcising the heart. This is called in scripture "the operation of God." (Colossians 2: 12 KJV) If we do not love Lord God, then we ought to seek from God this work, putting ourselves into his surgical hands, with faith that he will take away our love for sin and replace it with a love for him and for righteousness.

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you." (I Thessalonians 3: 12 NIV)