What's love got to do with it?

1 Peter 4:8
 "And above all things have fervent love for one another, for"love will cover a multitude of sins."
 There are many times in my role as a leader and pastor of God's church that I lay awake at night and wonder about the application of this verse. It is in these times of solitude when Jesus and I have long talks about the words "love one another!" If we could just realize the simplicity of  applying love and yet the magnitude of the results. However, to love one another is to lay some things aside. It is hard to love someone else when self is demanding all of your attention. Love and selfishness clash! They are in opposition to one another! There inability to get along cries out now louder than ever before!  We live in the society of self service. We are the microwave generation of instant gratification. The I want it yesterday but now will have to do generation! Cost is not the issue as long as I serve me. Wow, the truth hurts but the accrued credit card debts, the high vehicle payments and the unpaid mortgages speak for us! How will we ever escape this whirlwind we have been caught up in? Could it be to have a FERVENT LOVE for others and not self? In 1Peter 4:8 the words "fervent love" mean with earnest intent, without ceasing, to stretch! Earnest intent means to love with a purpose. What is our greatest purpose for life? Is it to love self or to love others? Why should we show love to others? Jesus said that this how Christians are known,"that we have love for one another."(John 13:35) Our purpose for love is to point people to Jesus so that they may come to know Him. The greatest most precious gift a person could ever receive is the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ! Our love for one another introduces that gift. This is an earnest purpose, it's our focus. We are to make a conscience effort to love people to Jesus. Fervent love is also love without ceasing. As disciples of Christ we do not have the luxury of turning our love on and off when it is convenient for us. We have to learn to listen to God. Pay attention when He is speaking to us and be sensitive to the people He is ushering into our lives. I was literally in the middle of writing this devotional when a woman came into my office needing money for a bus ticket. As I talked with her I realized that God did not bring her to me for a bus ticket. He introduced her to me so I could introduce her to Him! She talked herself right out of needing a bus ticket as God revealed His truth to her through His word. She trusted Jesus to save her today. She came here needing Jesus and God allowed me to be a part of that! What if I would have been selfish and allowed my love for God's people to cease at that moment? What if I had told her to come back later because I was busy working on church stuff? She may still be lost without Him! I can testify to you today that I have a new sister in Christ because for once in my life I was paying attention to God's Holy Spirit urging me to love without ceasing. Having a fervent love also means to stretch yourself. To go above and beyond the norm or the expected. To lay aside selfish desires and put our love for God and His people first. This may mean doing something as simple as introducing yourself to someone and sharing Jesus with them. It could be as big as selling your possessions, home, cars, etc. and becoming a missionary. The truth is this. Fervent love is to love so much it hurts. To love so much that you are willing to hurt, to cry, to give and to expect nothing in return! To love fervently is to love so much that no one or no thing can keep you from sharing Jesus with everyone you meet! It is love like this that covers a multitude of sin. To love like this is to love like Jesus. This love overlooks the many faults and sin that is possessed by all of humanity. This love sees people redeemed, delivered and walking with Jesus! Fervent love will not result in earthly riches and the accomplishment of selfish goals. It is only for those who would risk it all to love like Jesus loves. After all, wasn't it Jesus who said, "No greater love has anyone than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."(John 15:13)