Where's the Love?

Chapter 6

V- Vigilante of love.

“Is it true that Perfect love drives out all fear?” -U2

“Let’s get this Party started” -Pink

“Love one another as I have loved you” -Jesus

This brings us to the “V” app for acquiring more of God’s love in our life. And it is to be a vigilante of love. (There’s gotta be a song out there somewhere by that title; there is a band.) It is to be vigilant and alert to love opportunities, to take advantage of showing Christ-like love when given the chance. This is the “good works” he’s called us to (Eph. 2:10) and how we will begin to get in the zone to experience God’s love.

We must be vigilant and spiritually alert to see God’s door of love being opened and available to us in life’s circumstances. God puts us in situations all the time that allow us to know his love, and to experience a strong sense of his presence when we partner with him in showing his love to others. But to make it happen we have to be aware of the opportunities that present themselves and respond accordingly—react with understanding and with the power of the Holy Spirit rather than as a natural person: “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come” (Mark 13:33 NIV).

This idea of being vigilant is worth defining to help us get a sense of how exactly we should be. It translates to “wakefulness, alert to danger, being watchful and aware.” You may have heard of an all-night vigil, which means keeping vigorous watch with prayer and focused mindfulness. Also, maybe you’ve been accused by people at work or at church of being on “the vigilante committee,” which is an unauthorized group organized to enforce the rules or the law and punish crimes when ordinary law enforcement fails to do so. Its original reference is to the Civil War. Vigilantes tried to suppress support of the union, terrorizing and controlling abolitionists as well as slaves who were trying to break free.

Being vigilant carries this idea of making “extra effort to enforce” and not being passive or indifferent. It means not being apathetic or casual but rather expectant, as if going on the offensive to ensure that it happens! This is the attitude and preparation needed to take advantage of opportunities to show Christ’s love and experience the blessings of his love when these open doors present themselves. If we’re unaware or “asleep” and unprepared spiritually, we’ll miss them and even be bothered or annoyed by them.

This idea of the urgency of being spiritually vigilant and watchful, and the great blessings that come as a result, is seen in the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25.

And after responding to the questions about his outward coming and return in Chapter 24, Jesus then turns the discussion to the spiritual, as he so often does, by stating, “the Kingdom of heaven will be like . . .” He is saying that yes, indeed his outward second coming will take place when he comes with his saints at the end of the tribulation period, descends on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, overthrows all enemies of darkness, is received as king, and sets up his kingdom on earth. But there is something more immediate to be concerned with. He will also come in spirit now, during this age, leading up to his outward coming. He comes now in spirit and reveals his glory and powerful presence at this time by faith, if we’re open to it and ready. And this is the ultimate way we can know and realize the love of God.

To his followers he gives encouragement not to miss the blessings of his love and presence as he continues his ministry and reveals himself to the world through them. In essence he says, don’t miss the feast—don’t miss the party and the joy of realizing the great love of God and his presence by walking like me! This will only happen by being filled with the Holy Spirit, having hearts and minds that are continually renewed to this purpose, as represented by the ones with oil-filled lamps (verse 7). It was these maids who met their master, and they represent the prepared souls who continually encounter the presence and love of the Lord today.

Jesus goes through a lot of detail and many particulars explaining this idea of his return to emphasize another aspect of his coming and being alert for it—his coming in Spirit: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will behold me no more, but you will behold me” (John 14:18–19 NTL).

This is the “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3) offered to us every day when we wake up. It’s the hope we realize as we live like Jesus. New insight, new understanding, and a fresh sense of God’s love are revealed to us as we live out Christ.

Marvelously God uses this fallen world with all its corruption and hurt as a place where the light of his glory can really shine. And yet it can only be done by the good work of purposing to live out Christ at all costs, with a heart determined to show the undeserved goodness of God to others.

Maybe your spouse had a rough day and says something harsh and degrading to you when you get home and are tired. Do you retaliate— strike back to let him or her know you won’t get pushed around? Or do you respond softly, taking the opportunity to show undeserved kindness and mercy, dismissing the remark like it never happened? It takes being on the alert and ready with a heavenly perspective. But know these times that call for sacrifice of ourselves are blessings in disguise: Christ wants to reveal himself to us; he’s showing up!