Wednesday In The Word: Loving Each Other

"I want to be faithful to Jesus and I want to love people well."

I said this to my husband the other day when we were talking about how the storms that we have walked through the last three years have changed us.

When you lose a child or anyone you love, for that matter, it just changes the way you look at this life. The things that once seemed to be so important and make so much difference, just don't anymore. My priorities have changed.

Bottom line, I have a child in heaven and the reality of being able to see him there one day keeps me focused on heaven. I have come to realize fully that this life on earth is just preparation for heaven. I want to walk the road from here to there well. I am not perfect. I know that it will not be a perfect, beautiful walk. Sometimes my walk will be more like a limp. However, I intend to walk it. I hope that the Lord uses me to bring people to Himself. I hope to be faithful to Jesus and I want to love people well.

We talk a lot about being faithful to Jesus but not very much about loving each other well. Sometimes love is such an illusive word that we throw around. We know it is a good word and surely something we should do. As a believer, the word love should have a fuller meaning because the whole reason that our life is different is because someone loved us so much that they died for us. His Name is Jesus. The first place we must look to see what love means is His life and His ultimate sacrifice on the Cross.

We must let what Jesus did filter down into our days and change the way we love ourselves and those around us. We are not going to find everyone completely lovable and we may have to make some difficult stands. I have found that the love that is in our hearts because Jesus is there can allow us to be motivated by love even when it is difficult.

We are also living in a day when believers in Christ need the support and love of other believers in Christ. The time for being in our own little falsely perfect worlds is over. The scripture says that "iron sharpens iron". Your love expressed in the simplest way to someone else can sharpen them or give them the strength they need to keep taking steps in their own walk. I have lived long enough to have seen the difference a kind word, a meal, a prayer, a flower, a note, a listening ear or you fill in the blank can make.

This scripture comes to mind:
Ephesians 4:32 - 5:2

32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

From the rooftop:
Look to Jesus as the greatest picture of love and follow it.
Be Kind.
Be Compassionate.
Forgive.
You are loved by a heavenly Father that has done all that for you.
Love in such a way that it refreshes someone else's soul .

I am praying that we can all love each other well. It is what Jesus has done to us. He expects nothing less from us.