Jonathan and Britt were nice enough to buy me an "Angel of the Heart" Willow Tree figurine for Valentine's Day. I thought it was really sweet of them. Anyways, while taking it out of its box back in Waterloo, I noticed the caption that goes along with it - For those who love and are loved. I got to thinking about this later, and I came to the conclusion that that is what life is really all about. If I accomplish nothing else in life but having loved, and been loved by others, I will die a happy person. Other good things will spring from living a life full of love - but above all, I believe our primary purpose in life is simply to love - God and people.
Easier said than done though, right? There's a lot to gain from living a life like this, but there are also a lot of risks. By choosing to love and be loved, you are choosing to put other's needs ahead of yourself and to make yourself vulnerable - and we all know, that's not an easy thing to do. I know that I'm far from where I want to be. There's a lot of times when I have the choice to love, and I choose not to. Or I may feel like I'm doing pretty well, but in hindsight, I see that I was doing so only out of obligation. Loving others shouldn't come from obligation, but rather from a true care and concern for the wellbeing of another person - regardless of how well I know them. I'm better at accepting love - because it makes me feel good about myself. But even that isn't always easy. It makes me feel like I have to do something to earn that love, which in most cases, I could never do. And sometimes, I just feel so unworthy. I mean, I've been given the perfect love, as a result of nothing that I've ever done. Why can't I just accept that, and let it transform my life?
No matter how difficult it is though, I choose to live a life of love. I've been given the perfect example - and when I accept His love, loving others should come easily. How can I accept a gift like that, and not share it with others?
We, though, are going to love - love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. (1 John 4:19)
The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (1 John 4:21)
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless - cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. (1 Peter 4:8-11)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Thanks, Jilly. How looooovely. :) I hear you, and I would add to the thought on obligations to love people, that so often I find myself "loving" (or thinking that I'm loving) based on selfish motives.
But you've hit it bang on- it as simple, as l-o-v-e.
I l-o-v-e you!
Harm
Wow Jill.
That is exactly how I feel.
Life really is about loving others.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts (and those verses).
I also never said thanks for the comment you made on my blog...I couldn't get yours to work before. But, it works now, so I can catch up on what you are doing!
Charity
Post a Comment