When it comes to leading by example, one thing we need to think about is our expression of love.
1 Corinthians 13, a.k.a. the love chapter, defines love (or charity, if you use KJV like I do). Verses 4-7 list a lot of the ways that love acts. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Not to sound like your middle school English teacher, but take a look at all the verbs in that passage. Love is meant to be expressed through our actions.
Luke 6:27-36 is a passage I honestly struggle with. I talk some about this in my post Love Your Enemies. But in this passage, Jesus makes a point to describe how we should treat people. And you know the best way to remember how we should treat others?
Remembering how Christ has treated us.
Romans 5:7-10 says, For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
When we were enemies… That caused me to see Luke 6:27-36 in a different light. Because according to Romans 5:10, we were enemies of Christ before we were saved. Yet Christ died for us. If Christ could love us that much, how can we not love others?
This brings me to the Samaritan woman in John 4. As I’ve discussed in the previous posts in this series, Jesus’ interaction with her can teach us a lot about leading by our love. Consider again that the Jews and the Samaritans did not get along, yet Jesus took the time to talk to this woman. Why? Because He loved her.
She may have been an enemy of the Jews, but Jesus said to love our enemies, and He did too. But Jesus showing love to the Samaritan woman isn’t the only thing I want to point out here.
John 4:27 says, And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
Why is this important? Because the disciples saw Jesus’ expression of love.
Do you see where I’m going with this?
The fact that Jesus took time to speak with someone others would have shunned was a big enough deal. But the fact that the disciples saw Him showing love to her gave them an example of how they should treat unbelievers.
So do others see your expression of love? Do they witness your love in action?
