See the Jesus in others.
Love others.
Yet, what truly does loving another look like?
The word love is a filler word, a word thrown around like the waves of the ocean, a word that has lost the true meaning. It is said so easily and with no attachment by humankind.
The dictionary definition of love is a strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. Affection based on admiration or common interest; unselfish loyalty and benevolent concern for the good of another.
This is what humankind define love as, but what does God define love as (yes, that is right, I am referring to that one passage, you know which one, 1 Corinthians 13).
‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’ (V. 4-8) This is what God defines love as.
Now love is easy to hand out to those that are easy to love; those that don’t frustrate, anger, or annoy you. However, to truly love someone that is broken, that is hurting, that is going to screw up and screw you over numerous times is where it becomes incredibly difficult.
Our human definition of love is easy. It goes hand in hand with liking something. We love our favorite band, but then we hate them. We love chocolate ice cream, but then we love vanilla more. But the true definition of love is hard. It is loving the homeless man on the street that is addicted to meth and begging for money for more. It is loving the prostitute that is selling herself on the corner for money to take care of her kids. It is loving the woman that is snorting a line of coke in a stairwell. It is loving the friend that has stabbed you in the back. It is loving the person that drives 15 under the speed limit. It is loving the person that just rubs you the wrong way.
Love is PATIENT, KIND, DOES NOT ENVY, DOES NOT BOAST, IS NOT PROUD, IS NOT RUDE, IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, NOT EASILY ANGERED, KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS, DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH.
Love is FORGIVING. Love is having grace for those who don’t deserve it. Love is just seeing the Jesus in others.
‘Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.’ Colossians 3:13-14
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