True Love?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

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.

These few verses are a true test of rather we love someone with the love of Christ. In our society today it seems like we throw the word love around like the words hello or goodbye. I am more than guilty of this. I grew up in a home where love flowed freely, no one ever doubted their worth to our family. Constant hugs, coming and going, and always being told “I Love You!” This is not a bad thing! I want my children to know that same love, coming and going, nothing hidden, no wondering, or doubt of their worth. I honestly didn’t realize there were families out there that didn’t have that. My sister and I talk all the time about how blessed we are with our family.

Sometimes, however, I think (scratch that, I know) I use those words too loosely. I have been known to accidentally end a phone conversation with a co-worker or client with the words “bye-I-love-you” we usually have a big laugh, and most of them understand. But do those words loose meaning when they fly from our lips so freely? Sometimes, yes...

Does my husband understand how much I am DEEPLY IN LOVE with him just because I say “bye-I-love-you” when I get off the phone or leave the house; or does the revelation of my love for him ring true every day, in the way I act and treat him.

Also, we are not commanded to love only our family or our spouse, but to LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

1 John 13:34-35
A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you MUST love one another. By this all men WILL KNOW that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

It’s soooo easy for me to love my family! However, I find it hard, at times, to love some ‘one anothers’ but the Bible says this is how they will know that I am a disciple of Christ.

Does the lady at the McDonald’s drive-thru know I am a Disciple of Christ? Some days, probably not. What about the checker at Wal-Mart; do I treat her with patience? Am I always kind to my co-workers? These are all ‘one anothers’; people we meet in our every day lives. Am I showing them the love of Christ? Not always.

Now this one is going to be a hard pill for me to swallow....How about my husband? Do I love him with the love of Christ when I pull out my very accurate record of wrongs, every time we have a disagreement? Probably not.

So my prayer today is that our patient, kind, loving, forgiving, Heavenly Father, will help me to understand how much he loves me, and help me to love others with that same love.