Love, Care & Share
Love Deeply
Christ commanded us to:
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [c]tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:42-48)
In John 4:19 we read, “We love because He first loved us.” God showed the greatest of Love when He gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins. After Christ’s resurrection He sent the Holy Spirit to His Believers so that they might grow in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Love being one of those gifts.
We can only truly love others deeply when the source of that love comes from God and it is rooted in Christ.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
We are blessed when we show God-centered love to both our friends and enemies.
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)
To love deeply is to see others through God’s eyes. Our desire for loving others is so that they can receive God’s love, be a witness to His way of life, and to bring glory to God.
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18)
Care Openly
We are not called merely to be observers on the sidelines, we are called to be “doers” of the word. It is the Holy Spirit working in us that allows us to develop true love for others. God-centered Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, it does not come from our own strength and power.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25)
Caring is the words and actions we take to show Love to others. The gift of time, encouragement, kind word, act of kindness, good works, resources, effort, listening, and serving. It is self-sacrificing, something you give of yourself to another person.
Share Boldly
If we take to heart the scripture, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 4:10) then we will not fear following God’s command to love both our friends and enemies. Boldness is having courage and confidence in our actions and words. We can pray for boldness to share God’s love with others. Asking God for the strength and courage to do and say the right thing, in Love, that aligns with His Truth and Principles.
We live out the fruit of Godly Love through our words and deeds. We are called to love our enemies, serve the widows and orphans, feed the poor, encourage others, share words of faith, and minister to them in their time of need.
Sometimes we are called to love others when it is difficult, uncomfortable, inconvenient, or even a sacrifice. It is in those times that we need to Share God’s Love Boldly.
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16).
By putting our trust in God, we can stand on His promise that He is with us and will give us the strength, courage, and wisdom in all that we do.
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 4:10)