Loaned Love

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. -1 John 4:18-20

We love because he first loved us. What does that mean? It means that because God loves us, we can now channel His love through our lives. That means that we cannot love without God. How blessed we are that He should bestow His love on us! But what does all this have to do with anything?
 
We have no love to give. We love because he first loved us. Cause and effect. Because God loves us, we can now love others. But God didn't give us love to keep, that's not what love is for. God gave us love so that we might give it away. All this to say, the love you show to others isn't your own, it's God's love channeling through you. When you open your heart to be a conduit for his love, he is free to show love to anyone and everyone around you.
 
But wait, isn't there something wrong here? Do not we as humans throw love around far too much--God's love? Here's an example: Person A and Person B are friends. A gets mad at B for whatever reason and B leaves A to their emotional damages. But now Person C who loves A tells person B that if they ever come near A again, C will give them a pounding. Protection, sure. But is that love for a friend like many think it is? First there was only one angry tie between A and B, but when C reacted angrily in the name of love now there is a larger circle of anger than there is love. Once A sees the measures C has taken they may feel less free to go back to B and make amends.
 
So what are we really doing with the love the father has lavished on us? [1 John 3:1] This love that is so powerful that God was able to call us His Children. Is there any room for de- or of- fensiveness in His love?
No. 1 John 3:1 tells it all:

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

God didn't just stopped at love, he called us his children. His love is powerful and it isn't something to be taken lightly either. But God has given us the opportunity to channel his love. So which is more loving, beating up Person B for supposedly hurting Person A, or loving Person B in spite of your judgements?
 
God is a God of peace and if it is by His love which we show love to others, the way we love must reflect the character of God. So go on, show some love, live as a conduit of his love.