Love in Person

“But you Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, My friend.” Isaiah 41:8

Friend – You wouldn’t see it in English, but the connection is so important that it demands attention.  Abraham is called the ‘ohev of God, a word that comes from the root ahav, to love.  In Hebrew thought, a friend is the physical representation of love’s actions.  I make a friend when I act in gracious benevolence toward someone.  God makes Abraham a friend by treating Abraham with love.  I am called to do the same thing.  And when I do, I no longer have a neighbor.  I have a friend.

Isn’t God’s social relationship plan simple?  Just make friends!  What could be easier?  Of course, in God’s view, this has little or nothing to do with how the other person responds to my gracious acts.  I am not asked to balance the equation of friendship.  I am only asked to act with love, not to wait and see what comes back to me.  Calculation is not part of the equation.  How could it be?  Does calculation fit the standard of my own self-interest?  Do I want others to withhold benevolence until I show appropriate reciprocity?

Dr. Laura once said that forgiveness is unnecessary until the other party is willing to make amends.  Her comment demonstrates no theological depth.  She spoke from the world’s point of view where my actions are determined by the possibility of return on investment.  God never loves like that!  True love never considers the balance scale approach.  True love makes friends by extending gracious benevolence toward others without calculating the possibility of return.

Abraham did not always act with gracious benevolence.  He protected himself at his wife’s expense.  He allowed Hagar to be abused.  He abandoned Hagar and Ishmael.  He made a lot of foolish decisions.  But God never faltered in benevolence toward Abraham.  It is God who made the friendship last.  That’s the kind of God I need.  If God ever used reciprocity as the measure of His love for me, I would be finished.  Instantly.  God’s faithfulness toward me depends entirely on His ahav, the continuous expression of gracious benevolence on my behalf.  God makes friends of His enemies.

Do we?