Lesson 51. The Practical Application of Love

When I share with people the knowledge about love that God reveals to me, I often hear the statement that this is only theory and that without works my love is dead. Let us consider whether this is truly so and what the science of love actually is.

Let us take economics as an example. If you ever grow tired of poverty and constant debt and decide to become wealthy, you will have to find someone who has achieved a certain level of success in this area and has managed to build up capital. You will ask him to share the secret of his achievements with you. And if this person is knowledgeable, he will first test you. After that, he will explain that your problem lies in the mindset of a poor person who does not know how to be wealthy and is unable to handle money properly. And if you receive a large amount of money now without first learning how to use it, you will spend it very quickly and return to poverty. Therefore, you will first be offered the opportunity to master the theory of the laws governing money and capital. Then, when your way of thinking has changed, you will be asked to reinforce your skills through practice. Without a transformation of your thinking, no changes will take place in your life. Such knowledge costs money, and you will have to pay for it. As you learn the science of acquiring wealth, you will see your weaknesses and your superficial way of thinking, but you will also discover new opportunities that you did not notice before. Many stereotypes that robbed you and plunged you into poverty will be destroyed. You will understand the game played by the wise of this world, who instill empty values in you and sell you unnecessary things in order to keep you perpetually in debt.

But without special knowledge, your way of thinking will never change. Your habit of thinking according to commonly accepted ideas will force you to follow the slogans of the poor, such as: “If you are going to have fun, then have fun without restraint!” “You only live once,” “Money is evil,” “You should live for your own pleasure,” and other similar sayings.

Every science involves a transformation of one’s thinking and a new authority—the use of acquired knowledge to achieve established goals.

It is said that the word “sin,” when translated, means “missing the mark.”

If you have no goal in your life, you will not reach it; you will not hit the mark. If a goal has been set and your efforts are directed toward achieving it, then you will most likely attain it.

If you want to have one million in your bank account, you will have to learn to set aside a portion of your income continually in order to achieve this goal, even if you are in debt and are struggling to make ends meet.

Now let us compare this principle with the science of love. We discover the very same approach and the same principles in it. If you have the mind of a carnal person and are accustomed to thinking according to commonly accepted slogans, then even if you were given the full power of love in all its fullness, you simply would not be able to use it or accumulate anything, because your mind has not been transformed. You do not know the laws of love, and you do not understand how it works or what it is needed for. You will not be able to retain something that is invisible to the eye and cannot be touched with the hands. If you do not receive an answer to your prayers for love, this does not mean that there is no answer. It simply means that you are not yet ready to receive it. Love can be requested in different ways. If I ask for love so that I may love, that is good, but it is not always the right approach. But if I plead with God to teach me how to love, to reveal the laws of agape to me, and to reveal Himself through this gift, then God will begin to guide me and reveal Himself to me, giving me the love that will help me put theoretical knowledge into practice.

Of course, everything does not always happen exactly as I have just described it, for God acts according to His own discretion. Nevertheless, there are general rules and laws that work for all people, provided that they are observed.

For example, if we begin to pray for a sick person, entrusting his situation to God, we can expect different answers. What will God decide to do? He may heal the person instantly. He may restore him through the hands of doctors and through medicine. He may allow the forces of nature to heal the sick person naturally. He may help establish the cause of the illness and teach the person to live properly, in harmony with the laws of health, so that he may recover and remain healthy. The Lord may also allow the person to die. In all these cases, God answers the prayer, but He does so in the way that He considers right. Therefore, when asking the Lord for something, it is always wise to add: “Thy will be done.”

God’s will for us is already contained in the very act of acquiring love. Moreover, we have been given a commandment three times that clearly points to the necessity of learning how to love and living according to this science.

As I receive knowledge about love, I first become acquainted with the theory that is clearly presented in the Bible. As this theory influences my mind, it comes to life and begins to produce in me first the desire and then the action, according to God’s good pleasure. My theoretical knowledge about love forms a corresponding way of thinking, creating the mindset of a righteous person. And the more deeply I study and understand this science, the stronger my confidence becomes that agape love rightfully belongs to me and that I have unrestricted access to it at all times.

I continually put love into practice whenever I leave the solitude of being alone and interact with people. This may take place face-to-face or virtually, but whenever social interaction occurs, love comes into action.

The members of my household are the most powerful practical aid for mastering the theory of love that I have received from the Bible or from other sources. And the more difficult my neighbor is, the more likely it is that he will teach me something and help me strengthen the theoretical knowledge that I am gaining in the school of love.

To put love into practice, there is no need to meet with the teachers or students of my school. It is enough to look around, and you will see those who are ready to give you an examination and to become “guinea pigs” in your experiments.

Your neighbor who is your enemy is that very teacher chosen by God—one who shows no partiality, accepts no bribes, and gives you no concessions. He will mercilessly point out all your mistakes and will not always politely demand that you reveal Jesus to him through your life and through your love for him. At the same time, he will respond to all your attempts to do this with reproaches, faultfinding, and ridicule. But God begins to perform miracles even in the lives of such people if you have the right goal and confidently move toward it. Love gives you victory even when your enemy or friend thinks that he has won the battle. Love does not suffer defeat. It does not know what defeat is. It takes possession of the situation and keeps it under control without depriving anyone of freedom of choice.

The more correct knowledge I have received and mastered, the more confidently I will wage war and overcome. My practical skills are always consistent with the theory that I am learning in the science of love. This helps me avoid serious mistakes and learn from the experiences of those who have already traveled this road and left behind their recommendations. Jesus was the first to open this narrow path. Then all the apostles and other disciples walked along it. They all shared their counsel with us. Now we are also walking along this path, supporting one another, sharing our experiences, and remembering the example of Jesus. Those who come after us will listen to us and learn from our mistakes. They will go ahead of us and bring the history of this world to its conclusion, becoming victorious in everything. And the name of God will be in their foreheads.

1. Please read Proverbs 2:1–6, 10–13; 14:8; Ecclesiastes 2:26; and Daniel 12:3, and consider these verses within the context of our lesson.

2. What did you understand while studying this subject?

3. What revelations did you receive?

4. Why does God sometimes give us difficult and ignorant people as “teachers”?

5. Why is it important to have the right way of thinking?

6. Is theory important in the science of love, or should we possess only practical skills?