Walking in Love

Jesus said in Mark 12:30-31 that greatest commandments were to love the Lord with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength and to love each other as we love ourselves. These are the greatest commandments because when we love the Lord and each other as we are commanded, all of the other 8 commandments will follow. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us a description of what love is: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

If we are not walking in love, we are not of God because God is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 tells us that out of everything we do, if there is no love, it is pointless. Walking in love is not just loving our neighbors or our friends. Jesus instructed us in Luke 6:27-35 to love our enemies as well. When someone does us wrong, we should continue to love them. Easier said than done right? Wrong, with God ALL things are possible. Since God is love, we can rely on Him to help us to love those that do us wrong. I like the way Jesus explained it in this scripture. Verses 33-34 says “And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.” How much different are we from the world if we can only love those that love us? The world tells us that we should repay evil with evil. But, God said that vengeance is His (Deuteronomy 32:35). Besides, if someone does us wrong why would we want to sin just to seek revenge? The consequences are then put on us.

Have you ever noticed that when someone is trying to be rude when you are polite, it seems to irritate that person more? Proverbs 25:21-22 says that you are heaping hot coals on their head. It also says that God will reward you for it. Good always will overcome evil. I can remember many times when I worked in retail, I would have  rude customers in the store.  They would be so rude at first but I would continue to give them good customer service and by the time they left the store, their attitude would seem to have vanished. I would continue to give customer service not because it was my job as an associate but my job as a Christian. Jesus told us in John 13:34-35 that when we love others as He loves us, the world will know that we are His disciples.

My sister, I know it is not easy to love when it is not given in return. But since love is a fruit of the spirit, the only way to accomplish this is through God. Why not ask God to help you to walk in love?

After all…God is Love.