Kirk Franklin & God’s Property’s song “Love”
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22 KJV
The Great Commandment instructs us to love God with our hearts, soul and mind and to love our neighbors – meaning love other folk.
I love you. 💕
I find I don’t say it enough and I don’t think I act on it much either. I definitely fear not receiving it in return.
Those three simple words carry much weight for many of us. The fear of being void of action after the words spill is probably the biggest problem. The fear of being vulnerable, hurt or rejected looms. After displaying love will you get it back in return?
God’s Word says –
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:18 NIV
Then God gently reminds me –
I am commanded to love. We are commanded to love. Love is a verb. Make the choice to love. Be ye a doer regardless of response…
More important and more significant than saying you love someone is actually showing your love. The actions before or after you speak those vital words tell the true story.
Another reality to face – God gave the commandment to love. He didn’t say we would be loved back. He said HE loves us and that we should love one another.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:43-45 NIV
Love and pray for enemies?
We most often only pray for those which we care. In our quest to be a “doer” of God’s Word – we need to actively and sincerely pray for our enemies. This is an act which not only benefits them, but also assists in renewing our minds. It’s extremely difficult to pray for someone and not begin to care or have your emotions begin to shift. (Smile, that’s if you are praying correctly. 🤔)
In a perfect world we would all love one another- but that’s not where we exist and live. We have to make the choice to love despite love. We daily, moment by moment make decisions whether to be patient, kind, forgiving, not rejoice at wrong and all the actions mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13. With the help of God and through God we make the choice to bear fruit mentioned in Galatians 5.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 KJV
We know we can’t necessarily rely on man to love us back – but what we do know is we can rely on God and His promises because He loves us. No, it’s not expecting you to put yourself or your feelings on the line in every situation or to be a doormat. We are instructed to guard our hearts. What I am saying is – PRAYERFULLY choose to love despite of being fearful and vulnerable. See if “the place” you are is where you are supposed to be (God’s Will) and then be a doer of love
You can’t control others and their actions – but you can control you. So when led to – choose to love… 💕
“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
1 John 4:19-21 NIV
lifeandgodliness 