This Thing Called Love

Love really isn't how I imagined it would be as a Christian. In my younger Christian life I thought love was so precious and sweet and all hearts and sappy stuff. But it's not. Not even close most days. Love is not always fun. Love actually drives me crazy sometimes. Loving others is a choice, and it's one that I have to make myself do on a regular basis. 

Jesus said we have to love our enemies.  (Matthew 5:43-48)  That means I have to love the person that flipped me off while driving down the road.  This also means I have to love the neighbor that lets their dog run into my yard all the time even though they know I would rather their dog not be in my yard. I have to make a choice to love these people.

Jesus said I have to love those that are different than me and those that are in need. (Matthew 25: 31-46) That means I have to love women where they are - even if where they are is homeless.  That means that I have to love women no matter what they do - even if what they do is being a stripper to support their family. I have to make a choice to love others no matter where they are in life.  I don't have to agree with their lifestyle to love them.

Jesus said the most important thing I can do is to love God.(Matthew 22: 34-40) When we are going through hardships - financial crisis, illness, death of a loved one, raising a teenager (Oh that last one's got me right now! And for those that don't think that is as hard as the other hardships mentioned then you haven't had a teenager in your house. I suggest you borrow mine.) - it's hard to love God wholeheartedly. Some days are just hard in this broken world and I'm not feeling so thankful to walk through the junk. It's a choice I have to make.  I choose to love God in spite of my circumstances.

Jesus said the second most important thing I can do is to love my neighbor as I love myself. (Matthew 22: 34-40) See point above on loving my neighbor with the dog. Not easy. But I think this verse isn't just about loving my neighbor. It's also about loving myself. That means I have to take care of myself.  That means I have to remind myself that I'm a daughter of the King of Kings. That means I have to forgive myself for mistakes. Loving yourself is not always easy either. It's a choice, too.

Love is important to God. God is love and we will be known as Christians by our LOVE for others. (1 John 4 and John 13:35) Sometimes it's hard to love, but we can do all things through Christ. (Philippians 4:13)

• Who needs to feel loved in your sphere of influence today?
• How can we love on those that are hard to love?
• How do we love God more than anything?
• How can we love ourselves?

Jesus - thank you for Your amazing love.  I'm in awe of how You love me in spite of me. Help me to love Your way. - Amen

For a deeper study:

• Read 1 Corinthians 13 and make a list of the way we should love others, and then go love on others that way.