02/23/2022
Wear His Love For All To See
When Paul prepared to close his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “Let all that you do be done with love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). What a powerful reputation you can have if you intentionally choose to live a life of love!
Clothe yourself in love. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity.
─ Colossians 3:14 NCV
Our lives are all about love: loving God and loving each other. Here are three essentials to living a life of love.
• Live in the love of God.
God loves you no matter what you do. Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35). God never stops loving. Whether we deserve it or not, God’s love never ceases. And the love God lavishes on us should inspire us to also give love to others, even if we feel like they don’t deserve it.
The most important piece of clothing you must wear is love.
The key is to be a conduit of God’s love and not a cul-de-sac of His love. In other words, we are not to just receive His love in the form of a cul-de-sac, where love stops with us. We are to give his love where his love flows in and through us.
• Overcome past perceptions of love.
There is a depth of love that many people never experience. Why? They believe that love is merely a feeling or an emotion. Do you remember when you fell in love for the first time? Your feelings were strong. You were in love. But true love is not a feeling – it’s a decision, a choice. God was quite intentional about choosing to love us. He said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).
Realize that God chooses to love you and that we are also called to intentionally give love. Paul said the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14).
• View people as God does.
God sees people differently than we see them. People are valuable to God. It doesn’t matter what they have done or who they have failed. God values everyone. Make a conscious effort to see others the way God sees them.
Today’s One Thing
Imagine yourself putting on love just like you would put on a winter coat. As you go through your day, let God’s love flow through you in all you do.