The Veritable Smorgasbord of Love Manifestations

The way of love encompasses a veritable smorgasbord of manifestations. When people think of love, they most readily think compassion, pity, mercy, kind, polite, and etc. The most compassionate and merciful effect you can have on somebody’s future might appear harsh.

Most of us would agree that Jesus ALWAYS and without fail walked in the way of love . . . that narrow way. We see several different  manifestations of the narrow way in his example

The Compassionate Jesus

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36 ESV)

The Indignant but Patient Jesus

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:13-14 ESV)

The Angry Jesus

And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. (John 2:15 ESV)

The Avoiding Jesus

But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25 ESV)

The Frustrated Jesus

Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” (Luke 9:41 ESV)

Help me categorize this one?

There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” (Mark 7:15 ESV)

Really now . . . he’s talking about poop. Is that a loving thing to do? Do you reckon maybe he has a sense of humor?

Though the list goes on and on, I end with the Sarcastic Jesus

And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”  She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” (Matthew 15:26-27 ESV)

True, love is not rude . . . 1 Corinthians 13 . . . but can sarcasm be the best way to love somebody? I have to watch the sarcasm myself; many people frown on that. It’s a difficult restraint to avoid talking the way I think. In my last job I was getting good at restraint in the workplace. Then we added a young woman to the staff as a part time employee. The first time she cut me with some sarcasm . . . I was shocked . . . she was good at it! . . . it caught me, yes . . . even me . . . off-guard. Then I quickly realized . . .  YES; I love it! It was a relief to me to not have to take all things so seriously all the time. Sarcasm might be the right thing for a degenerate like me.

It may be that Jesus lightened the burden with a little sarcasm . . . which Jesus’ interlocutor was apparently adept with herself.

The narrow way meanders widely between “judge not” and “withhold from dogs and pigs.” The manifestations of love are a veritable smorgasbord. Be prepared to bring any Holy Spirit directed option to bear.