Can Compassion Be Turned On Like A Faucet?
Preaching
Lions And Cows Dining Together
And 111 Other Sermon Ideas
Object:
Purpose Statement: How do we get motivated to actually love others?
The question intrigues me and is perhaps one of the hardest to answer just as was the question asked by the sermon Q-10, "Pink Bunny Batteries," "How do I remain enthusiastic about my faith?" Jesus admonished us to love others as we love ourselves and to even love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Paul tells us to love our enemies (Romans 12:20). Much of 1 John is concerned with loving others (1 John 2:7-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-21; 5:1-5). We know what to do in a general way: love others, but how will we be motivated to do it? Certainly, if we care enough to ask the question itself, this is a big step in the right direction. Can we make ourselves love someone? Three things we might think about would include the following.
a. Definition. We need to know what love is, the kind the Bible talks about.
1. It is intellectual rather than emotional. This is not to say there aren't any emotions involved, as there will be deliberate feeling and caring; however, it is a love for others (strangers or enemies) made as an intellectual commitment or decision. We will have sincere sentiments for others.
2. It is service, good deeds, and intentions. This means it doesn't have to be personal. We may never meet many of the people we love by donating money for charity, praying for them, donating blood, or volunteering through a service-oriented organization. It is vital and beautiful even when it seems mechanical in nature because we do the right thing when no personal relationships are involved. In contrast, romantic love apparently is a natural and unintentional response. We may not choose to love a certain person in this way, it happens. The love Jesus spoke of is more decisive and intentional, and later becomes natural.
b. Motivation. Are there three ways to be motivated to love:
1. God gets us going,
2. another person stimulates us, or
3. we exercise a willful decision?
No doubt God is busy all the time trying to motivate us to love each other, but we must respond, as God never violates our free will. We may be more directly influenced by personal experience with others in special need. But, usually it is left to us to initiate acts of kindness. If we are experiencing God's love in a meaningful life of faith, our compassion for others will result. Yet there still may be times when it must be a cold decision, "How can I love that stranger?" Knowing it is God's will and the right thing, we need to "just do it."
c. Illustrations. It helps to remind ourselves of the inspiring stories of others who showed love in beautiful ways. We have heard stories of compassion, for example, a couple that adopted and loved the boy who killed their child in a car accident. We read about the person who jumps into the river to save a stranger or goes into a burning building to rescue someone. Such acts of Christian love, and myriads of other examples, will motivate us to be compassionate children of God.
The question intrigues me and is perhaps one of the hardest to answer just as was the question asked by the sermon Q-10, "Pink Bunny Batteries," "How do I remain enthusiastic about my faith?" Jesus admonished us to love others as we love ourselves and to even love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Paul tells us to love our enemies (Romans 12:20). Much of 1 John is concerned with loving others (1 John 2:7-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-21; 5:1-5). We know what to do in a general way: love others, but how will we be motivated to do it? Certainly, if we care enough to ask the question itself, this is a big step in the right direction. Can we make ourselves love someone? Three things we might think about would include the following.
a. Definition. We need to know what love is, the kind the Bible talks about.
1. It is intellectual rather than emotional. This is not to say there aren't any emotions involved, as there will be deliberate feeling and caring; however, it is a love for others (strangers or enemies) made as an intellectual commitment or decision. We will have sincere sentiments for others.
2. It is service, good deeds, and intentions. This means it doesn't have to be personal. We may never meet many of the people we love by donating money for charity, praying for them, donating blood, or volunteering through a service-oriented organization. It is vital and beautiful even when it seems mechanical in nature because we do the right thing when no personal relationships are involved. In contrast, romantic love apparently is a natural and unintentional response. We may not choose to love a certain person in this way, it happens. The love Jesus spoke of is more decisive and intentional, and later becomes natural.
b. Motivation. Are there three ways to be motivated to love:
1. God gets us going,
2. another person stimulates us, or
3. we exercise a willful decision?
No doubt God is busy all the time trying to motivate us to love each other, but we must respond, as God never violates our free will. We may be more directly influenced by personal experience with others in special need. But, usually it is left to us to initiate acts of kindness. If we are experiencing God's love in a meaningful life of faith, our compassion for others will result. Yet there still may be times when it must be a cold decision, "How can I love that stranger?" Knowing it is God's will and the right thing, we need to "just do it."
c. Illustrations. It helps to remind ourselves of the inspiring stories of others who showed love in beautiful ways. We have heard stories of compassion, for example, a couple that adopted and loved the boy who killed their child in a car accident. We read about the person who jumps into the river to save a stranger or goes into a burning building to rescue someone. Such acts of Christian love, and myriads of other examples, will motivate us to be compassionate children of God.
