Hi Gals!

I just finished reading an Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency mystery…and I ran across the neatest quote: There is plenty of work for love to do.  Now that is a statement that gives me cause to ponder.  Rick Warren states that God created each of us for a mission.  I believe that part of that mission was made very clear by Jesus’ teaching in John 13:34-35 (NLT)
³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

To rewrite the above Smith quote: There are plenty of things I can do to love others the way Jesus loves me.  The question is: Am I doing that?  On a daily basis am I finding specific ways to love others…specific others?  When we walk closely with our Savior, serving and loving others is the way we demonstrate how much we love Him.  If we do not serve and love others, then Jesus is not ruling our hearts nor in our daily living! It is an oxymoron to say that one is a non-serving, non-loving Christian. That might sound harsh but it rings true with God’s Word

1 John 2:5-6 (NLT)
⁵ But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.
⁶ Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

We must be intentional about evaluating our love quotient. How can we follow God's example and become more people-oriented ourselves? How can we be more sensitive to those around us? Here are some suggestions:

Focus on people

Make sure the most important things you do each day involve a focus on people. Projects are transient. Deadlines soon "die." Do-lists may never be really done, or need to be. But people are eternal.  Lose yourself in others.  Be a listener.

Reach beyond your own world

Make an effort to have contact and relationships with different kinds of people. Reach beyond your normal sphere of influence to touch those who are not similar to you in race, economic and social status, age, and so on. This will take you out of your comfort zone and put you into an “Only-with-God’s Help” zone…and that is an exciting place to be. With the Holy Spirit guiding us, we can learn to love those who are “not just like us”!

Pray-and be alert

Ask God to send people to you. Then stay alert for those He places in your life…both short term and long term. If you find yourself getting too busy; too interested in your own life…ask God to give you a caring, gracious heart.  Ask and you will receive.

 Be Purposeful  about Demonstrating Your Christian Life

At least two things foster curiosity about the way we live and the source of our life: the joy we express and the love we show. People are irresistibly drawn to Christians who sincerely display those two qualities.

Show Love by Specific Actions

Respond to each person in a sensitive and loving way---recognize his or her uniqueness---this can have a great impact on someone’s life.  Try new ways to express love and concern for someone.  Look for practical ways to serve.

We can't argue with the Bible's requirement that Christians be serving others. But often we fail to serve anyway. Ask God to keep your eyes open today and tomorrow for special ways to serve others.

As you think of them, compile a list and then do them.

1 John 3:18 (NLT)
¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Joyfully,

Yvonne