January 19th

❀ ❁ January 19^th ❀ ❁

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10 NIV

It’s never pleasant to take our kids for vaccinations.  It’s enough to make even my alpha male husband get teary-eyed.  The high-pitched squeals.  The confused, hurt look that seems to say, "Why, Mommy, why?"  But it's loving when we have to do things that are ultimately better for our children, to ensure their safety and their well-being.  It's looking down the road and planning for their future rather than living in the moment.  Love can be uncomfortable.  Love can be downright painful. Sometimes it's not pretty.  It involves setting boundaries when it seems easier to go with the status quo, not rocking the boat.

Scripture mentions "love" hundreds of times. Several times does Christ Jesus Himself tell us of His love, and His Father's love. He admonishes us to love one another. This loves starts with sacrifice.  It starts with loving God with everything we have, with giving Him everything we have.  It is realizing who we are and what we are to God.  After this, after we can love ourselves, we can love our neighbor enough to see their dignity.  With that love comes sometimes having uncomfortable times.  It's not love to watch someone walk in front of a car.  We have to grab him and pull him back, even if that means we get injured in the process.  Even if that means at that moment he is angry with us.

Our highest goal should be to be holy, and that starts with loving Christ, and we beginning to see others the way He sees them.

 

Pray for the grace to see those around us the way the LORD does.

Ask Him to soften your heart to have a deeper love for others.