Lover of Man

As God loves us, we must love God and also love what God loves, man. The most famous and common verse is of God's love for man. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life. John 3:16

As being loved by God and gifted an eternal life, we must love whom God loves too. The same blessing is also available to all mankind. God's redemption accomplished by Christ at the cross is for all. But the entire humanity in the world is yet to hear and understand the love of God. Here is the need for preaching the gospel and letting people know God.

Our Savior God desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4

God's desire to save all mankind can happen only when all mankind hears the gospel and believes into the Lord Jesus Christ. For this, the hearing of the word is needed as a direct result of the preaching of the gospel.

So faith comes out of hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Now, all the above Bible verses can become practical only when those who already are enjoying the love of God begins to love man and share the same love story to others who are yet to hear the greatest love story ever told, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lovers of man as God loves them are the need of this end time. Only by this love, one can genuinely reach out to the unreached and share the love of God to them. In fact, gospel preaching is the highest service and the Lord's command:

Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age. Mathew 28:19 

As the Lord saves people and brings them into the church, they must be shepherded by supply the divine life of God to them regularly as a mother feeds her own children. Supplying with the divine life and shepherding them is the next greatest command the Lord gave.

Then when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. John 21:15-17

As shepherding work is being carried out, there will be a hundred and one problems that we will encounter. Better to encounter the problems faced by our sheep rather than being busy with our own problems. Any genuine shepherd will encounter this and will shepherd the new ones to go through the situation and come out victorious. While we encounter such problems, we should look to the Lord for wisdom how to tread the path wisely and also look for more grace to be able to shepherd the saints. Some immature and graceless person may ignorantly or arrogantly cut off the saint plagued with problems. If that be the case, ultimately all news ones will be cut off. If need be, if the problems faced by the saints are serious, it is even better to weep for the saints. Instead of weeping for our personal and family matters, weeping for the needy saints and for the advancement of the Lord's work is far more worthy. Our tears should not be wasted on self-pity and for selfish goals. Our tears must be reserved for the Lord's purpose. As much as our time, our energy, and all that we possess are for the Lord, so much more, our tears must be for the Lord. If such is the way we shepherd the saints then there will be many blessings and much increase in the church we serve.

For all these, we must be lovers of man by being lovers of God first.

Lord, cause me to be lover of man.