Jesus commands us as the second of the two things we must do to complete the law of all the prophets. Being Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
When we share the love that God has given to us we are in essence reflecting God’s love to those that we love.
When we have love in our heart and lives we won’t be gossips and hurting people by spreading hurtful things with an untamed tongue. When we love we won’t be jealous and envious of others, rather we will join them in the joy of their fortune. When we love we won’t wish ills on others but rather be praying for blessings for them. We will be looking for a way to be a blessing to them rather than caught up in our own lives. We will be vigilant about noticing signs of distress that may mean that they need our assistance because that is the least that you would do for your own body.
It may seem impossible or radical but let’s really think about our neighbor and not to be noisy but out of love and concern be attentive to what is going on in their lives. Let’s open our hearts and doors. No more driving in and out of your garage and into your house never even knowing who your neighbor is. Walk down your sidewalk and introduce yourself. Stop at the mailbox long enough to greet others in your apartment complex, who knows it might be an opportunity to show some love if not at the least a smile and you may make someones day.
This world has become very isolated but we don’t have to let it stay that way. We can choose to look for opportunities to connect to others be that playing it safe by just being friendly or taking a chance and actually showing love to someone.
When I lived in England I learned a song, I believe it’s called, “Magic Penny”. The lyrics go:
Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away, you end up having more.
It’s just like a magic penny. Hold it tight and you won’t have any, but lend, spend it and you’ll have so many, they’ll just roll all over the floor.
For, love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away, you end up having more.
So may I challenge us to look for ways to give our love away? God has an unlimited supply to restore and refresh us with. Like the song says if we hold our love tight we won’t have any, it becomes a stagnant pond useless to anyone. We must think of our love as a fountain where water never grows stagnant or rushing waterfall that’s mist nourishes all the plants that surrounds it.
Joy – A Fellow Sojourner & A Woman After God’s Own Heart!
Joy's Words of Encouragement 