Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind

"Love is giving another person what they need the most, when they deserve it the least, at great personal cost"  ~Chip Ingram

Have you ever felt like the Holy Spirit was nudging you in a certain direction?  I have and do, but because the Holy Spirit doesn't speak audibly to me or send me a text message, I sometimes question (although, I do believe God speaks to me through actual people).

 

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions and this year was no exception, except this year I felt like God was asking me to do something that actually had nothing to do with me. 

At the start of the New Year, I had a thought that I can only say came from the Holy Spirit... "What if I gave more of myself away in 2013?"  The thought crossed my mind during the morning of January 1st and then later that day a friend posted in a Facebook group that God had spoken to her about making the word "serve" her focus word for the month of January.  I started to think maybe this was the direction God was leading me as well, then I got confirmation again yesterday as I was listening to the radio and wouldn't you know it but the the radio host and his guest were talking about loving others.

As I think about loving/serving others, I'm a little fearful because I know it has to start with my own family... I need to serve those closest to me and if I'm honest sometimes that is down right hard. I see their quirks and attitudes and I don't always feel inclined to love them the way God wants me to.  God loves me despite my quirks and attitudes and the very least I can do is show a servants love to those I say I love the most. 

 

This week I'm feeling pretty good about this "resolution" because I physically feel well and it has been a fairly low key and stress less week, but I know the day is coming very soon when I won't feel like pouring a glass of milk for the 4th time that day, I won't feel like making my husbands lunch... again, I won't feel like washing and folding another pile of laundry, or I won't feel like making dinner that takes me 30 minutes to prepare and is consumed in less than 10 minutes!  So it's at those times that I need to remember what God has to say about love and serving...

 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  (I Corinthians 13:4)

 

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  (I Peter 3:8)

 

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.  (1 Peter 4:11)

 

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  (Matthew 22:36-40)

 

Think about how this could radically change our families if we first model a Christlike love to our immediate family.  If we aren't showing our kids how to have a servant's love, than we can't expect them to treat those they encounter everyday with the Christlike love God wants.