How to Love
1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (AMP) It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
The infamous love chapter lays out a great picture of how to love others. When an injustice is done we do not rejoice - we rejoice when the truth prevails! Love bears all things - NO MATTER WHAT! Love will bear the weight of trials, job loss, insecurities, and mistakes. Love will believe the best in others regardless of the circumstances. Love hopes for all things even in the midst of hard times. Love endures all things without weakening, rather, by growing in strength.
When you go through difficulties in life, you can either become stronger because of your struggles or bitter because of your attitude toward them. You can choose to learn how to handle situations you would have preferred not have to faced. Learning how to respond to attacks is one of life's greatest lessons. We have to answer to God for how we treat others, regardless of how they first treated us. How will we show love to a world so full of hate? God will give you a heart for the lost when you pray and ask Him to open your eyes to see the way He sees - with spiritual eyes and not fleshly eyes. Our fleshly eyes will see sin, they will criticize and opinionate. Our spiritual eyes will see pain, lost souls, broken relationships, confusion and hopeless individuals desperately seeking answers.
The hurting will respond out of their pain - how will we choose to love them? We must allow God to speak to us throughout the day and show us new ways to love others. Ways to love the ones dearest to us and ways to love a stranger. If we plant seeds of love we shall reap a harvest of love, who doesn't want that!?
Ephesians 4:2-3 (TLB) Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit and so be at peace with one another.
