The Measure of Love

 By: Lauren Thomas 

Every day has a plan, a checklist, an agenda. My plan, my checklist, my agenda. When my plans are disrupted, I get derailed. 

 

I was recently convicted by a quote I came across by Elisabeth Elliot: “The measure of our love is the measure of our willingness to be inconvenienced.” 

I hate to be inconvenienced. I hate for interruptions to redirect my day. 

 

But this isn’t the way of love.

When I think of how love handles interruptions and inconveniences, I always think about Jesus in Mark 5 (Matthew 9 and Luke 8 as well). Jesus was teaching beside the sea, when a man fell at his feet, imploring Jesus to come heal his daughter. Instead of saying, “not right now – I’m busy teaching!” Jesus got up and went with the man. As if this inconvenience wasn’t enough, on Jesus’s way to heal the girl, a woman touched his garment. Jesus noted the interruption, but not in anger. In grace and lovingkindness, he validated the healing she had received in her body. Then Jesus continued on his way to heal the girl – who had died before he even got there! Putting my “flesh” in Jesus’ position, I would be thinking, if that woman hadn’t interrupted me, I would have been here on time to heal this girl before she died – saved myself the inconvenience of resurrecting her! But that’s not Jesus. 

 

He is love. He is love that is willing to be inconvenienced and interrupted. This is the measure of love.

 

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV

 

Inconveniences, interruptions, they are opportunities for love to be offered. This love isn’t easy. It goes against human nature. It is self-sacrificing. But for that reason, it is God-glorifying.

 

My response to inconveniences shows that the measure of my love is often low. If you have felt convicted in reading this post, me too. I’m guilty. I’m convicted. Join me in repenting and asking God to fill us to overflowing with love that would pour out on those around us – love without measure!

 

Reflection:

How do you normally respond to interruptions and inconveniences? How do you want to respond instead?What could you do to remind yourself of the opportunity for self-sacrificial love found in inconveniences?