Throughout the Word of God, we can see how much emphasis God places on love. Not a superficial love, not a phony love, not even a shallow love, but a genuine love. Love that is real; God’s agape love.
Isn’t this the kind of love we all desire? Let’s take it a step further and examine ourselves. Are we showing that same kind of love to others?
The familiar scripture found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 GWT reminds us that Love is patient, Love is kind, Love isn’t jealous, it doesn’t sing its own praises, it isn’t arrogant. It isn’t rude, it doesn’t think about itself, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep track of wrongs. It isn’t happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up. Love never comes to an end.
Recently, I’ve shared my family’s traumatic experiences that we endured in December. My husband had a heart attack and I was in the ER shortly after. We learned firsthand that when someone you love goes through something; it affects you too. What we didn’t share was that while we experienced our own trauma, so did our neighbor’s family.
Our neighbor, a father and a husband in his 90s, was lying on his deathbed spending his last hours with his family. We found out he had passed away a few days later. Family and friends continued to visit his wife at their home days after his passing. I wanted to respect the wife’s family time and waited until it seemed appropriate to pay her a visit. I went to see how she was doing and we talked for awhile. I was able to share our story and how Jesus is the rock who keeps us. Before leaving, I gave her my phone number and told her to call anytime. She was grateful and said, “Thank you and come over any time.”
When we love each other, help each other and truly care about one another, then we are truly the reflection of God. Lives are strengthened, encouraged and blessed!
John 13:35 Phillips Translation reads “Now I am giving you a new command—love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you must love one another. This is how all men will know that you are my disciples, because you have such love for one another.”
The world screams, “take, take, take,” while God is saying “give, give, give, give of what has been given to you.” Be a friend. Be a help. Be Jesus to someone, and show them that you care!
Our lives should reflect that we have been with the Master, sat at His feet and allowed His Word to transform us.
Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]. 1 Peter 4:8 AMP
So teach us to number our days, That we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 AMP
We are only allotted so much time on this earth. Let’s use our time wisely and try to make as much impact as we can. Spread the love of Christ to our brothers and sisters in the family of God, and then to a lost and dying world that is in need of real love; God’s agape love.
Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 CEB