The Best Way to Live – Living With Love

Living with love is the best way to live. Read on and find out why Mark Hillis thinks that we all can experience a life filled with love.

The Best Way to Live

“If someone approached you sincerely and said, ‘Let me show you the best way to live,’ how would you respond? Would you be skeptical, critical, or openly curious? Would you take the time to hear them out or turn away?

The real question might be: Do you see value and importance in living your life as well as possible? Perhaps you believe that “the best way of life” is subjective and a matter of opinion. You may feel that you are already living in the best way for you.

What does ‘the best way’ truly mean and what does it look like?

A Way That is Best for Everyone

I’m proposing that there is a way that is best for everyone. You might react defensively to this idea, but please hear me out, and let’s explore it together…

This statement was actually an expression of intent by the Apostle Paul, found in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:31. Although it’s the last verse in that chapter, he directs his readers to the ideal way of living in the following chapter, thirteen. Often called ‘the love chapter’ of the Bible, it defines what true love looks like.

Doing Great Things… Without Love

Before he gets into actually defining love, he considers what there is to gain from achieving goals and reaching great heights in life if love is not important.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

I Corinthians 13:1-3

Paul begins by speaking hypothetically; imagine if you could achieve the grandest accomplishments—like gaining great knowledge, obtaining deep and profound insights, reaching an elevated level of religious faith, or making noble sacrifices—but if love was absent and not even a motivating factor in anything you are doing, then what has been gained? They would only be hollow things to boast about. It would all be for nothing but the cause of satisfying your pride and ego, wouldn’t it?

So, explore your heart, ask yourself: Is a life filled with personal success but devoid of love truly the best way to live? Would a life full of great accomplishments be fulfilling without love for others?

What Is Love?

The verses continue honing in on what true love looks like, as I read these traits of love to you, I ask you to reflect on your love for the people in your life whom you care about. Is this the way of life for you? These verses are very famous; you might have heard them at a wedding or seen them on a wall hanging…

‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.’

I Corinthians 13:4-7

Undeniably Love

After reading this, I ask myself: Does this reflect how I strive to express love? Do I treat and relate to others in this way?

We can’t deny that this is true love! It’s clear that showing sincere concern and interest in the lives of others is the best way to live. So, what keeps us from living this way more consistently?

The Way of Sin

Seeing the importance of this, you might feel the need to commit yourself to being more mindful of this area in your life. That’s great if you do, but I must warn you that it won’t take long before you fail: a situation will arise shortly, where you should express your love through a word or action, but instead you will choose a course of selfishness or disdain.

How do I know that, you may ask?

I know from my own experience that I often fail to show love and compassion. This is something we are all guilty of because, as human beings, our nature often leads us to choose wrong over right. The Bible calls this sin, which encompasses anything we do that God dislikes. Anything that contradicts the characteristics of love we’ve examined is a sin—a sin against others and against God.

Coming to terms with having sin and being a sinner can be challenging; it’s very humbling to admit the deep-rooted reality that no one is perfect, everyone sins, because it’s hardwired into us. While sins may have varying degrees, sin is sin, no matter how small or big.

Sin is the root cause of hatred, wars, starvation, pain, and death in our world. Everyone is affected by it and its consequences. Even worse, sin separates us from God.

The Penalty for Sin

Since sin encompasses the wrongs we commit, justice dictates that we are condemned and must pay the penalty for our wrongdoing, which is death. Physical death is something we all must face, but there is another death the Bible speaks of: eternal separation from God, in a spiritual domain called Hell.

This is a place reserved for those who did not seek out God in faith during their lifetime to receive His means of salvation.

God’s Love for You

But God does not want anyone to be condemned and separated from Him. His heart is for everyone to know His love, be saved from the horrible effects of sin, and have eternal life with Him.

Perhaps you have heard or read John 3:16 before; it says:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

When you ask for God’s forgiveness and receive the love that God has for you through the life-giving love of His Son, Jesus Christ, you will then know true love.

The Greatest Love

At the end of chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, it says,

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

Jesus Christ died on the cross to be your perfect sacrifice for sin. As God in human form, He never sinned. The love He displayed on the cross, dying for you, was truly the greatest demonstration of love.

God’s boundless love offers us the gift of His forgiveness, even though we don’t deserve it. That’s called “grace.”

1John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus is Love

The beautiful description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 is not only a guide for how we should treat one another but also a depiction of God’s affection for us and the world.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 again, this time replacing the word ‘love’ with ‘Jesus,’ as He is the full expression of true love:

JESUS is patient and kind. JESUS is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. JESUS does not demand His own way. JESUS is not irritable, and JESUS keeps no record of being wronged. JESUS does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. JESUS never gives up, never loses faith, JESUS is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.

Believe

Believe in what Jesus did for you, and He will clearly show His love for you in this way.

Receive His gift of love right now. Choose the better way—a meaningful life of love and faith in Jesus. This choice means living the rest of your life knowing the love and peace of God, knowing your sins are forgiven, and having the assurance of eternal life.

There is no better way to live.

If you want to know more, please contact us at [email protected] and browse the HopeStreamRadio website to explore further the love God has for you.

Have you experienced the best way to live – with God’s love? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.