What would you be willing to do for the person you love the most? If serving them required time, effort, money, or personal sacrifice, would you expect a response or require a reward? To love others through our service or any other means without the expectation of a response or reward is defined as a labor of love or unconditional love.
Although we may love and follow Jesus, sometimes we can misunderstand the purpose of our loving faith in this broken world and other imperfect people. We may think that if we serve Jesus, he will make our lives easier. When we lose our job, our marriage is not good, we are working through the destruction of a divorce, or face an illness, how can we serve God with our labors of love? What does that look like?
Our Relationship with God Affects How We Serve Him.
What thoughts and emotions come to mind when you think of serving God? Happy, duty, dread, expecting rewards or control, or a check-off sheet to win his approval? If you see God through the eyes of our understanding of earthly principles and relationships, it can boil down to cause-and-effect. “As long as we do for God, he will do for us.”
I had a difficult and often painful relationship with my dad. His brokenness led him to say and do things that shattered my heart. I subconsciously didn’t realize how my father had treated me spilled into how I believed God would treat me.
As I studied God’s word, He helped me understand that his love was perfect and different from my earthly dad’s. God helped me see that only he was my Father and that helped me separate his perfect love from my dad’s imperfect love. This verse helped me break free from seeing God as demanding, judgmental, and punishing.
“Don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.” (Matt. 23:9, NLT) I realized God’s pure, perfect, unconditional love has no strings attached, and therefore, my untethered love for him is because he first loved me. Let’s look at God’s great labors of love for us.
Great Examples of Labors of Love
God hand knitted us together as one of his labors of love. He created us from His pure love with the freedom to choose to love him or not. Only God’s and Christ’s pure love bring the qualities of unconditional honor, respect, and freedom.
There are no strings attached to receiving and living in their love. However, we must receive salvation to understand and grow in their love in a deep relationship. We must also be willing to learn and be transformed in Christ through his teachings and our obedience.
All of God’s commands, precepts, promises, and Christ’s example show us that we can love God above all things, as Jesus did. With Christ in us, we can show others his love through our undemanding labors of love. Even though God knew he would have to send his Son to save us, he still chose to make us from his love. Likewise, Jesus showed us his labor of love as he was crucified and rose again.
Christ’s love also included the privilege of the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. What kind of love is this, so unconditional and full of pure grace? It’s the love living in us through Christ, and that is amazing!
The disciples showed us their labor of love for Christ as they shared his message without expecting earthy rewards, and all but one gave his life to remain faithful. The apostle Paul lived the first part of his life seeking the honor and prestige of people, only to realize that Christ’s unconditional loving service was God’s labor of love. He encouraged the church of the Thessalonians in their choice to serve others in love without expecting rewards.
We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thes. 1:3, NIV)
Four Steps to Keep Focused on Our Labor of Love with Christ
In this chaotic, ever-changing world, believers have the unchanging, all-powerful, and merciful Christ living in us. In our human condition, there is no way to live for Christ and share the labors of his love without his help and the Holy Spirit. Following Jesus is intentional and a life-long commitment. I have used these steps to help me, and my prayer is that they help you too.
- Begin each day by choosing to think about Jesus first and thanking him for your new day and the opportunities he will bring your way. Keeping Jesus first with a thankful heart sets the tone for your day.
- Put on the armor of God so you can defeat all of the schemes of the devil. God’s armor can keep you from being overwhelmed by the day’s responsibilities, thoughts, negative self-talk, world problems, or unexpected challenges.
- Remind yourself that you are the chosen, beloved child of God. You are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, and he dwells in you 24/7. Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. You are a new creation in Christ. You have the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. You are the disciple of Christ, and you hear his voice. You will live with God and Jesus forever in eternity. It’s vital that you know who you are in Christ and that you recite these truths daily. I have created a proclamation list that can help you.
- Surrender your plans, will, and desires for each day to Jesus. Ask him to lead you and be open to any changes or blessings he brings your way. Ask God to help you train your mind to think of any delays, changes, or challenges as opportunities for you to thank him. Pause and see what’s going on. Ask him what to say or do or if you should say or do anything. Ask Jesus what you need to learn and what you need to surrender into his hands and trust him.
Love the LORD God With All Your Heart
When you keep God first every day and set your mind on loving him and others, you bring him your greatest labor of love. Your love is not based on your circumstances, feelings, how things look, or what others say. You are loving Christ and others as he loves you unconditionally.
What the world needs most is to experience the unconditional love and grace of God and Jesus. We will follow their words and example if we proclaim to be a child of God and a disciple of Christ. Let us show the world God’s pure, healthy, unconditional love through our labors of love!
Jesus said, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35, NLT)
