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In July of 1967, the Beatles released the song, “All You Need is Love.”

The song had a catchy title and became the rallying cry for the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Unfortunately, especially for Christians, the message in this song is not true.

As a missionary, I trained young people for mission trips. We once had a young lady in one of our training schools who had experienced a hurtful past. God extended His lovingkindness to her, and the wounds of her past started to heal.

As time passed, along with His lovingkindness, God confronted her with the truth. Although wrongfully treated, her response to those actions was not always right. She resisted forgiving those who had hurt her and also resisted taking responsibility for her actions. Her healing was never consummated, and her discipleship was stunted.

Jesus always moved in lovingkindness and truth. When we elevate either love or truth above the other, we distort the character of God.

We never become fully functioning Christians unless we embrace the whole counsel of God, which includes His lovingkindness and His truth. Love is the balm of Gilead that starts our healing process, but embracing the truth sets us free.

People who are unwilling to accept God’s truth and love develop a dependent personality. They acquire a leak in their love bucket. The more love we deposit into it, the more we seem to need.

People who do this develop a lifelong quest to be loved, but it always seems to be just out of their grasp. Their desire to receive love far exceeds their willingness to give it. It becomes all about them.

We can go along in life, as the Beatles did, singing all we need is love, but if we do, we will never grow into the fullness of Christ.

Have you discovered that you need more than love?

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)