Two-minute read.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
Love remains.
When this life ends, love remains. We will no longer need faith or hope because we will reside in God’s perfect love for eternity. As we close out two weeks focused on becoming a better lover of God and people, remember, “the greatest of these is love.”
Wherever life takes you, fly on the wings of love. Before you speak or act, ask yourself, “Am I doing this in love?” If not, don’t say the words or do the actions. Couching everything in love means stopping and thinking before doing anything else. Slowing down and considering the situation will help us have healthier relationships and better outcomes.
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30- 31
Jesus summarized the commandments into four words: love God and love others. We can only accomplish our divine purpose by remaining bonded to the Lord. If you genuinely want to become a better lover of Christ, spend time with Him daily. Make a relationship with Jesus a top priority over all others, even spouses and kids. If you prioritize God, it will affect every other relationship you have for the better.
As Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”[1] Determine today to plan to love. Take what you’ve learned and turn it into a lifestyle of love. Find ways every day to do one act of love toward someone else. Maybe give grace, overlook an offense, and spend time with someone who needs company—maybe cook a meal for your friends or family. You can find many ways to love people when looking for them.
Respond in love in every circumstance. Sometimes, the most loving thing to do means doing nothing; other times, you must roll your sleeves up and get to work. The situations God brings into our lives become opportunities to grow and become more like Jesus, who exemplified a lifestyle of love.
In Christ, we can do all things. We can love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, and become new creations, one day at a time.
Receive the love God offers, renew yourself daily by spending time with Jesus, and share it. Turn the world upside down with love, just like Jesus did!
Love Challenge:
Keep the love going. Decide to do one loving act a day, every day. Change the world by sharing God’s unconditional, for everyone, love.
[1] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/460142-if-you-fail-to-plan-you-are-planning-to-fail
