All We Need is Love...
I was recently walking through the Miami airport and the display in the photo attached to this blog caught my attention immediately. Not only is it beautifully huge, it also speaks so much truth. All. We. Need. Is. Love. I began to think about how powerful love is when spoken and demonstrated sincerely. I’ve seen love put food on a hungry person’s table, restore relationships, and heal broken hearts.
Love is not only something that we say but it should be demonstrated also. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Love should be weaved into our character and seen in our actions. Love is not just an affection or a mushy emotion. It’s a decision that we make about how we treat ourselves and others. I’ll be honest and admit that I need more development in this area. Pardon the construction, I’m a work in progress…
I see love as a cycle that is not complete until it is given away. However, we can’t give a way something that we do not have. That’s why it is so important to continually receive God’s love. His love allows us to love ourselves in a balanced way. Out of the abundance of what we have received, we can extend genuine love to others. Once love is given away, the cycle is complete and we’ll want to repeat it. Loving others is rewarding and fulfilling. Just think about how good you felt after you put a smile on someone’s face or when you finally forgave someone who did you wrong. Felt good? Sure it did!
Love is one of the answers to life’s issues and the world’s problems. I know it might sound soft but just think about it… What if the person who robbed the little old lady or the cop who pulled the trigger without cause really believed that they were loved? How about the kid who bullies their classmate or the person who ignores others in need? I’m pretty sure these outcomes would be completely different. Love causes us to value ourselves and other people. Let’s make it personal, how would you treat yourself and others differently if you truly believed that you were loved?
Love is the cure for low self-esteem, hate, unforgiveness, and the list goes on. I believe that love is the most powerful force on earth. Why? My answer is because God is love. Since God is all powerful, love is powerful. What situation or who in your life can you put a little love on? Today, I encourage us all to receive love, embrace it fully for ourselves, and spread it to others. Have a Love-ly day!