We Are Called To Love
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. – 1 Peter 4:8
I love what Charles Swindoll said years ago in one of his books. He said three little girls came together and formed a club in their treehouse. They decided to write the rules for behavior. Here they are: “Number one, no one should act too big. Number two, no one should act too small. Number three, everyone should act medium.”
I firmly believe that is what God wants us to do. He doesn’t want us to think we are better than anyone else, and He doesn’t want us to believe we are below anyone else. We are to allow each other to be ourselves.
In other words, don't try to control other people. Don't try to change them. Don't try to run from them. Just let them be and love them. Find the good things about them. Choose to love them even when it’s difficult, and leave the changing work up to the Holy Spirit.
I have heard some people say, “I love you in Jesus,” which sometimes means “I hate you in the flesh.” The truth is that we are not perfect. We stand perfect in Christ, but we are living in this skin suit that has a lot of problems. We have many mental and emotional problems that we will wrestle with until we see Jesus face to face, and that often makes it difficult to love others well.
But to put it simply, the Bible says we are to be loving. Now remember, love is not a feeling. It may give you feelings, but love is something you do. Love is shown in actions, not in feelings. If we are to love well, we need Jesus. We need Jesus to empower us. We need to pray, “God, help me to enjoy the life you have given me and the people you have placed in my life.”
I know that is easier said than done. But this is a challenge worth taking if you are struggling to love someone in your life. If that’s you, remember to pray and remember to be loving.
I love what Charles Swindoll said years ago in one of his books. He said three little girls came together and formed a club in their treehouse. They decided to write the rules for behavior. Here they are: “Number one, no one should act too big. Number two, no one should act too small. Number three, everyone should act medium.”
I firmly believe that is what God wants us to do. He doesn’t want us to think we are better than anyone else, and He doesn’t want us to believe we are below anyone else. We are to allow each other to be ourselves.
In other words, don't try to control other people. Don't try to change them. Don't try to run from them. Just let them be and love them. Find the good things about them. Choose to love them even when it’s difficult, and leave the changing work up to the Holy Spirit.
I have heard some people say, “I love you in Jesus,” which sometimes means “I hate you in the flesh.” The truth is that we are not perfect. We stand perfect in Christ, but we are living in this skin suit that has a lot of problems. We have many mental and emotional problems that we will wrestle with until we see Jesus face to face, and that often makes it difficult to love others well.
But to put it simply, the Bible says we are to be loving. Now remember, love is not a feeling. It may give you feelings, but love is something you do. Love is shown in actions, not in feelings. If we are to love well, we need Jesus. We need Jesus to empower us. We need to pray, “God, help me to enjoy the life you have given me and the people you have placed in my life.”
I know that is easier said than done. But this is a challenge worth taking if you are struggling to love someone in your life. If that’s you, remember to pray and remember to be loving.
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5 Comments
Love the unLovable I am humbled that Jesus Christ Love me in my unlovable sin
Praying
I keep working on being more loving to others every day. Sometimes it is hard when others are hurting other people on purpose. I know that's when I need to work on loving them more and leaving them in God's hands
Hello Betty, it helps to know that they are being used by the devil, our fight is not against flesh and bones, it is not against the person, it is against principalities, demons, evil spirits that use people who are full of God's absence. I know it is hard to spiritually love someone that is physically hurting you and others.
What is the skin suit or flesh, why do we blame the flesh, the flesh by itself, the flesh with no brain and with no soul is just a temple, it has no feeling. Freeze the brain and see if the flesh can do anything. I think, just a thought, we need to blame something else when we do things that displeases God, not the flesh, I believe we should practice more self-control and that will help us not to blame the flesh for something what is questionable by our integrity.
God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament describe the word "flesh" as our whole being... body, mind, and spirit. There are many people who think that the body, mind, and spirit are separate, when in fact they are, in reality, one whole person.