L.O.V.E.

Love
Others  and
Value
Everyone

“The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

Love isn’t always easy and it’s a word that I’m leery of using. Why? We overuse the word. We love our family. We love our friends. We love God. We love our car, shoes and our food. Personally, I have tried to not use the word love so much. Instead I say I really like Mexican food and I really like my car, but there are times I slip up and say I love something when it’s really a major like. There are different types of love and I get that, but if we use love for every good feeling then it loses its value. We know love, because God first loved us. Love isn’t easy because we have to put ourselves out there and we might get hurt. It’s also not easy because not everyone is easy to love. Which brings me to ……

Others, who is others? This is your brother, sister, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandma, grandpa, husband, wife, son, daughter, friend and neighbor. We know this and do the best we can when it comes to family and friends, but what about the stranger? The one you just made eye contact with but quickly looked away. Why do we look away so quickly? Are we afraid of what they think of us, or maybe what they just saw? I can tell you why I look away quickly. It’s because the eyes are the window to our souls. I don’t like to make eye contact because the other person might see more than what I want them to. It has nothing to do with respect or lack thereof, for me anyways. So, how can we love strangers? There are many ways, but an easy way to show God’s love is to smile. When you look the stranger in the eye, and before you quickly look away….smile. You never know what this person is going through and your smile just might brighten their day and show them they are valued.

Value: How can we value people we are close to and those who fall under the stranger category? The first thing to remember is, “God so loved the world”. It doesn’t say He loves only me and the people who are close to my heart. He said he loves the world, and that means everyone in it. I may not agree with everyone (trust me, I don’t) but that doesn’t mean they are less valuable. God created each one of us and that means we are all valuable. So, how do we show it? R-E-S-P-E-C-T (sing it with me) Respecting others isn’t always easy but a few pointers are watch what you say, especially when you don’t agree with them. Be kind to others, even when they are being rude to you, which is usually easier said than done. This goes for everyone….

Everyone you come into contact with deserves love, not your love but God’s love. The only way we can show love is by having the Holy Spirit living in us. Everyone needs to know they are loved, cared for and valued. How? How? How? Encourage someone, if you aren’t sure how, just let them know you appreciate them. It could be something as simple as thanking them for helping clean the house. I challenge you to encourage at least one person a week, but I bet you could surpass this and encourage one person a day. Don’t worry about how it is taken or what they will think. Give God the glory and honor and He will take care of the rest.

Try to Love

       Others and

        Value

       Everyone today.

“If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love,I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.
And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

The task set before us is daunting and tiring but keep moving…keep going. You have the “God of angel armies” by your side. Until next time, “May Yahweh bless you and protect you.” (Numbers 6:24, HCSB)