Love is the primary character trait of the believer. It is a key difference between believers and non-believers. Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]” (John 13:34-35 AMP¹). We are expected to demonstrate love toward EVERYONE.
Demonstrating love toward everyone is not easy but it can be done “… because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:5 NIV²). Allow God’s Agape, unconditional love, to flow through you into the lives of the people that you come in contact with. As you have opportunities: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give to the poor, help your neighbor/coworker, pray for your enemies, support widows, orphans and the elderly, etc. These are some ways that you can IMPACT YOUR WORLD with the LOVE of CHRIST!
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP
4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]…
- Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
- Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™