How Love Bridges the Gap

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

"For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." - John 6:38

In a world full of differences, only one thing can bridge the gap- love.

What is love?

1 John 4:16 tells us that God is love.

How does love bridge the gap?

The same way it did 2,000 years ago- through Jesus.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, the Word was with God from the beginning and the Word was God. God is love. Jesus came down from heaven, not to do His fleshly will, but to do the will of God the Father.

The only way the sin of the world could be forgiven was through the ultimate sacrifice- the sacrifice of God's only son. This meant God taking on the appearance of a human baby. This meant Him being born in a stable, to ordinary people who had to trust the will of God. Jesus came to bridge a gap and He did this by being love.

Jesus accepted people in. He treated people well. He celebrated them. He humbled Himself and did not intimidate or try to make Himself look as powerful as He was. He was relatable. He was approachable. What is more approachable than a baby lying in a manger?

He was fully human and fully God.

If we are to strive to be like Christ, this means that we, too, should accept people in, invite them in, treat them well, celebrate them, remain humble and approachable. We can love the sinner and still hate the sin. Jesus did. Jesus ate with sinners but never sinned. So, hear me when I say accepting people, doesn't always look like approving of their actions. Celebrating people doesn't always mean celebrating their decisions. It means being an encourager, stirring them to do good, and saying "good job" when they do. These are just a few examples of how to love. If we could do this to the people in our lives, demonstrate this same love, so many gaps would be filled. There wouldn't be as vast of a disconnect. We are all people. Once we start treating people the way love would, we will have a relationship we didn't know we needed and won't want to live without.

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:27

We are members of the body of Christ. Christ is the picture of love. Christ bridged the gap between us and God. Love is still bridging that gap today as Jesus makes intercession for us at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34).

How will you allow this same love to bridge the gaps in your life?

Do what love would do.