Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Hatred paralyses life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonises it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it.”
Love it would be fair to say “makes the world go around”. Love makes us flourish and gives our lives meaning. Love makes us healthier.
“The greatest science in the world, in heaven and on earth is love. And the most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved” (Mother Teresa)
How often does our attention and thoughts get caught up in thinking about the opposite of love – on negativity and the people who irritate us? Our minds and hearts can easily focus on the annoying, negative and even strange behaviour of others and within a short space of time we are filled with unlovely thoughts and emotions.
But what if we spent time every day thinking of someone to love? If first thing in the morning we asked ourselves and God the question “Who can I show love to today?
God said His love in us never fails and that the world and everything in it is framed by that love. Meaning that we also are made with an immense capacity to love if we will open up our hearts.
God says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,is not easily angered, it keeps no accountof wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things,believes all things, hopes all things,endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
When we wake up what a difference it would make to our’s and others lives if we asked “How can I show love today”, and then keep on thinking that throughout our day. How much more would our attention be directed towards the positive and not just upon ourselves and our own desires.
Mother Teresa also said, “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
Today “Don’t waste time bothering whether you “love” your neighbour, act as if you do” For love is not something you just feel, it is something you do. (C.S. Lewis)
“If we have got the true love of God abroad in our hearts, we will show it in our lives. We will not have to go up and down the earth proclaiming it. We will show it in everything we say or do.” (Dwight Moody)
Prayer: Lord would you please help me to know and experience how much you love me today so that I can then love those around me in a greater way. In Jesus name Amen.