We’ve previously determined that if we’re going to advance God’s work through our teaching, our goal needs to be love. To truly have the right effect, that love needs to be agape, divine love, which comes from a pure heart.
What It Means to Have Love from a Pure Heart
When something is pure, it is free of contaminates or additives. To love from a pure heart, then, means a selfless, sacrificial love free of our sinful attitudes and motives. With self mixed in, we may “do” what appears to be loving acts but they’re motivated by our own neediness and desire to be loved in return, by guilt and a fear of not pleasing others, or by insecurities and need for affirmation.
Only God’s love is so selfless and righteous in its pursuits. Consequently, if we’re going to love from a pure heart, we need His Spirit to generate it within us (Gal. 5:22).
What Happens When We Try to Love from an Impure Heart
With sin and self mixed in, our love for students tends to be …
conditional.
It’s dependent on whether they cooperate or agree with us.
Reality Check: We don’t deserve God’s love but He love us anyway without us first having to prove ourselves worthy. (Rom. 5:8)
inconsistent.
It’s based on the our mood on any given day or personal needs and desires. Students consequently can’t depend on the teacher.
Reality Check: We can rely on God’s love to always and consistently be there. (Rom. 8:38-39; 1 Jn. 4:16)
If we don’t exemplify God’s love, that which comes from a pure heart, we will do little to advance the work of God through our teaching. We’ll have more of a tendency to let discussions take on a more hostile tone. We won’t foster an environment most conducive to growth. We won’t be helping our students live a life of faith (1 Tim. 1:4), putting priority on that which most matters to God (1 Tim. 1:5). So, let’s get to know God’s love better and learn to rely on it more (1 Jn. 4:16).
Training Resource: Does your heart beat with the love of God? Worksheet