Loving Others Well

Photo by John Jennings on Unsplash

It doesn’t take much to love someone well. Not that we do this perfectly or all the time, but it is possible. We have an entire chapter in the Bible dedicated to love. 1 Corinthians 13 is often quoted at weddings, and a verse or two is shared on social media every day. But we don’t get it, not in full. How can we? Love here in this broken world is but a shadow of the love we will experience living out our next existence with Jesus.

We talk about love and do our best to show it to others, and sometimes, we succeed. Other times, we fail miserably. Why? Our fleshly desires wage war against the spirit within, and we hurt people as a result. We all want what we want when we want it, and this is not only unloving; it wounds people.

So what can we do about it? How can we love others well?

• We can practice patience and not always speak or act when we want to.

• We need to show kindness to people even if they are sometimes unworthy of it.

• We can stop envying others and boasting about ourselves by prideful interruptions.

• We can put others first, honoring them without becoming irritated.

• We can not continue to remember another’s wrong even if unjust but celebrate the truth.

• We can persevere, keep our faith, cling to hope in Jesus, and endure whatever comes.

Love will last forever and is worth fighting for in this life. Love gives power to our actions and gifts and blesses others. Love grows, matures, and develops a sweet richness that only comes through time and resistance. Our foundation of faith and belief in Jesus gives us hope and promise. Love puts those beliefs into action. We will exercise our gifts to accomplish God’s purposes for our life and bless others while enduring with faith, hope, and love.

But love is the greatest of these. Love is our highest goal, our purposeful intention, and our deepest desire. In a world that is morally corrupt, a deeper understanding of love is needed. Love is the greatest human emotion, but it is also God Himself. To love in this life is the best gift, but to be loved by He who is Love is the greatest gift of all.

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