1 John 2:11 " For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another."1 John 2:18 " My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Luke 6:32-36 "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."
Is it easy for you to love ALL those around you? As we read this scripture, it kind of hits home at some points. Jesus knew it was not going to be easy for us to love all around us, just look how many times He speaks about love in the bible. He didn't just give His life for those He loved, for His close friends, He died for ALL people, black, white, red, and yellow. He died for the poor and the rich. He died for those who have much and those who have little. Its easy when a friend calls and is in need of help. We seem to jump right to it, but what happens when someone calls and we don't like them so much? We tend to say we are busy, or we just cannot give up our time. We can bump our cart into a friend and laugh about it, but if someone we don't know pushes their cart into us, we find ourselves angry. Its great to lend a book to a friend, but what about someone that is mean to us? Are we going to hand that book over so easily? We may not like everyone around us, we may have our differences, but we are to love all those around us, and respect them, for God created all. What do we really know of love? God showed us the greatest gift of all by loving us enough to die for us. Would you die for a friend? Most likely you would push them out of the way of the bus, but what about a stranger? Would you move to save them by endangering yourself? I am ashamed to say I have not loved all those around me, I have not showed the love of Jesus to all I come in contact with. So if I am not, am I showing Jesus to the world? How can I teach someone about the love of Christ when I myself am not living it? Remember those clicks in high school that hurt so much, unless you happened to be part of one? Well, they still exist today and they are in our churches too. There should be no click of people, we should be willing to accept everyone in love, never making a difference in anyone, but showing the same love we want Jesus to show us.May we be willing to open our eyes and check ourselves to see if we are in deed loving those around us. Anger and bitterness are not our friends and satan loves it when we are at odds with others, so just think of all that could be done for the glory of God if we showed love to one another, if we worked with one another and helped each other out not expecting anything in return. What if we loved with our eyes and ears closed, and just allowed Christ to move in our heart? Praise Jesus for the love that He has given so we too could love without judgement and have compassion for those around us~
Lord, please give us Your strength, Your love, and Your heart, so that we might open our hearts up to others and love those around us just as we want to be loved. Forgive us for not showing love to Your children and making a difference. May we open our arms to all around us, may You change us to look more like You. May we accept Your love and spread Your gospel by loving those around us~
