If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
(1 Corinthians 13:3-7, The Message)
How does your love measure up to these verses? If I am completely honest, my love is inconsistent. I fail. I do give up sometimes. I often think of myself before other people. At times, my ego does take over. I do lose my temper. I don’t always trust God like I should. Sometimes I do look for the worst.
As you can see, my love, at the very least, is a work in progress. God’s love is so great, that He gave His Son in our place. Think about that. In our place. Instead of us. Who does that? That is perfect love in action! I need God’s love in me. I need it to dictate my thoughts, my actions, and my emotions. His love will help me determine how I should act or react. If it weren’t for His infinite love, His mercy, and His grace, I could never measure up.
I will fall short of possessing the fullness of God’s love and compassion. But, God already knows that. All that He requires is that I strive to be more like Him a little more every day.
1 John 2:15-17 (The Message) says:
Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am an imperfect being. I am a failure on my own. Teach me how to love like You love. Let the love of the world in me be replaced by Your genuine love. I want to do what You want me to do; to be what You want me to be. Do a work in me so that I am a beacon of Your amazing love. In Jesus’ wonderful name, Amen!
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