The Comfort of Night

“Give it to me…no you give it to me…I can’t stand you!” I remember the days of sibling rivalry between my own children. Some days I wondered if they would ever like each other. It seemed like wishful thinking at the time because the bickering was incessant. When we teach little children to share, we are, in essence, teaching them to love. When the older sibling doesn't want to share his toy with the younger sibling and the younger one runs to you, you look at the older one and you say firmly, "Remember that he is your brother/sister and you share. This is what siblings do. Share. Don't be selfish. You two will be happy." And if all of that cajoling doesn't work, you simply say, with conviction, "Share your toys!" The older sibling had opportunities to master this important lesson, but now it can no longer be avoided. The younger sibling simply wants to share their space. Though they are too young to understand that sharing is caring, we as parents are laying the groundwork for what will hopefully become a positive relationship between siblings. We can't say we love each other without showing that we love. How would we know love if we don't act loving? Sharing is one of the first ways we demonstrate and teach our children to love.

Sharing our Toys
Jesus, in essence, told us to share our toys when he left a new commandment that we love one another. Share what you have with others. Share what I have given you. Share because you are the recipient of my love. Share so that others can get a sense of what this love looks like. When Jesus finally gave the new commandment, it was a culmination of all He had done through instruction and everyday living. In case it wasn't clear, Jesus made an edict, a mandate, an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority. Love was the mandate. “A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).
The Many Facets of Love
But I think we've forgotten what it means to love. In America, we've made our political parties our god and use their policies as a measuring stick for how to love. We've forgotten that we are to love our neighbor and that our neighbor is any person we are in close contact with and anyone we show mercy to. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) demonstrates a love that goes beyond cultural boundaries and ethnic lines. Few of us know our neighbors’ names. We are isolated by our material things. We're hesitant to entertain strangers. Hospitality has become synonymous with hosting parties. In countries with less, what we often call 'third world countries,' they seem to have mastered the art of loving each other–sharing the little they have without shame or concern. But they too are imperfect. We let our differences separate us and place ourselves on pedestals. Though we are all equal in the eyes of God, we don't connect with our fellow man if difference exists, whether it be gender, race, profession, or differing denominations. We magnify our differences so that we can feel comfortable with those that are just like us. We have forgotten how to love.
Jesus was a person of authority in His time, giving us the secret to living a successful life from a place of knowledge. For Jesus and us, it comes down to love-not what we've made it but what it was meant to be. Love is not comfortable, for it involves connecting and bridging the gaps.
The capacity to love has been around since the beginning of time. Creation, all of it, was God's lavish love on display. God created the world and everything in it and then he created man and woman, His ultimate masterpieces. The only bad (i.e. not good) thing that God saw after all He created was a lonely man. He turned this around when He created Eve-Adam's Ezer; his very good thing. Eve was a suitable help-meet and a competent ally. Adam and Eve had a relationship in the Garden of Eden where their love for God and each other was demonstrable until they were deceived. It is because of Adam and Eve that we have an imagery of marriage: they became one flesh and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25); they were vulnerable with each other. Naked vulnerability underscores love. Abraham had deep love for Sarah his wife; Isaac loved Rebekah (Genesis 26:8); Jacob loved his sons but had a special love for Joseph. He also had a special love for Rachel, Joseph’s mother. David loved his wives and children though he may not have been the best father.
We see parental love, selfish love, phileo love, and eros love throughout the Bible. In Jewish law, the Ten Commandments explicitly stated that each person loves their neighbor. So, love wasn't new.