Showing love to someone who loves you in return can give you joy and comfort like nothing else. Watching someone you care about receive a gift you carefully planned for them, or or seeing them blessed with great news they have been hoping for, can lift you up in a special way. But, is it the same when you give to someone who doesn’t love you in return? Do you feel joy in watching others receive blessings or gifts knowing they won't show the same love in return? Loving others with brotherly love is more than just being happy for them when you feel like it. True brotherly love is shared with all and shows joy, hope, compassion, patience and kindness to everyone, even my enemy.
This post may contain affiliate links. Which means, if you choose to click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission from that purchase. If you choose to make a purchase and support my blog, I am truly thankful for your support and would love to hear about it. You can send me a message at tanya@scripturesparrow.com or comment below to reach me. Have a blessed Day.
““But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”
It's not about me
If even those who do not have salvation in Christ can love others that love them in return, than I should be able to do even more. I have the love of God to guide and equip me. What is to stop me from loving those who hate me and spitefully use me? Only my own stubbornness. They say it is human nature to desire to protect oneself from pain or danger. It’s also human nature to sin....(Letting that sink in for a moment).
Things that come with human nature:
Sin
Hate
Anger
Bitterness
Spite
Self-mindedness
Things that come with the love of God:
Hope
Peace
Joy
Forgiveness
Kindness toward my enemy
And Love!
Love takes a little work
Because I became a christian, a child of God, I am no longer owned by this world and ruled by human nature. Yes, I still have human nature, but I also have something else, the Holy Spirit, to help me recognize and deny my human nature, and live as God has directed me instead. Love, the unconditional kind that God demonstrates for us, is not in our nature. My nature is to hold a grudge when I am hurt by someone, or lay blame on someone when things don’t quite go the way I think they should. But, God wants me to show love in those times by forgiving those who hurt me and loving them no matter where the fault lies.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
So, who DO we love?
God calls us to love everyone, not just those who love us back.
If there is one thing I take away from this study, it is that I need to remove bitterness from my life and forgive those who are my enemies. Forgiving others and treating them with kindness will free me from my anger and bring me peace. Here are a few more "food for thought" verses on love for your enjoyment.
Crafty Time!!
Here is part 3 in the love page craft. Have you been working on it? check out the youtube video to see how I assembled my page.
You will need:
Foil or shiny paper for candy wrappers
colored paper for heart candies
Cricut 0.4 fine pen in black
1 piece of cardstock 6*8 in
1 or 2 piece(s) of patterned or printed cardstock 6*6 in
We are almost there!
Comments