Love is a Choice - A challenge to all Christians

This is a continuation to last week's blog.

To God, love is an everlasting gift that he gives the world- even if they don't know who he is, or doesn't recognize Him in their lives. He is always there for them, and loves them. If they only knew.

Maybe you and I as Christians, can show God's love through our actions.

1 John 4:8 - "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

To humans,  as we are given free will, sometimes love can be disguised "a feeling", and we sometimes choose whether to love other people based on how they make us feel about ourselves.

But if everyone had everlasting, unconditional love for each other- there would be no bullying, no fights, no broken families, no racism or injustice. But that's in a perfect world (perhaps heaven one day?).  We don't live in one right now unfortunately.

So, how is a Christian called to love in this imperfect world?

" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The Challenge is to make The Choice to display love to others... no matter who they are, where they are from, or how they treat you.

This is not to say that you should tolerate it if another person is showing complete disrespect to you, but that's when we take a deep breath, and pray to God that we would see the world as he loves it, and not how we see it in our human rational ways... and choose to love that person anyways, and treat them the way Jesus would. (rather than respond in a cold way as a normal person would).   

Here's an interesting tactic...

Try saying this out loud, the next time someone challenges you to love them...
(Maybe its an impatient family member, a selfish or irresponsible friend, or even someone who belittles you in front of others)

"Because I Love God, I choose to _______" (whatever the most loving reaction should be).

For example, if someone hurts/belittles/disrespects you, rather than fighting back at them,
you can say...

"Because I love God, I choose to Forgive."

Its amazing how just making that Choice to Love - as Proof of your love for God, can impact your actions and thoughts about the person that hurt you.

And at the end of the day, when you leave this world - you can tell your creator you did your best to love everyone around you- how cool it would be to have lived a life of love for Gods glory!

Finally, would like to end this blog with a few bible verses to remember:

"I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" - Matthew 5:43-48

"Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”³Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself."