LOVE ALWAYS REJOICES

It seems so simple to think of love in the context of those who we love. By this, I mean it is easy to love those who are closest to you but the kind of love God asks of us is not a convenient kind of love we get to display only when it works for us. We don’t really get to pick and choose; the beauty of the love God requires of us is that he did it first. The Bible tells us in 1st John 4:19, “that we love because he first loved us,” so in a lot of ways, our capacity to love is birthed from his capacity to love us, and if God’s capacity is limitless, then we also have the ability to show unconditional love.

When we look at this phrase, it does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth; this means we should not get excited at the sound of bad news happening to someone. Again, let’s pause for a second there; I am sure you might say to yourself “noooooo that’s not me, I don’t rejoice when I hear bad news about someone.” Of course, you don’t when you hear this of your loved ones, but what of those you don’t quite get along with? Or let me take it a step further, someone who has offended you or done something bad to you, can you still say you haven’t ever felt some sort of joy when you hear something not so good happened to them? Don’t condemn yourself, the reason God reminds us of this in his word when he defines love is that He wants us to daily renew our minds in the love walk he has called us to, and to remember that even if that urge to say “it serves them right” comes, we choose not to think on that and we choose to love. 

What is the choice of love in that instance? It is to not delight in that evil but to rejoice only in truth. This might mean reaching out to the person to see if they are okay or praying for the person. Rejoicing in the truth also means being genuinely happy for people when we hear good news about them; just as the Bible encourages us to rejoice with those who rejoice. Romans 12:15 Whatever we do, let’s allow love to rule our hearts and minds and guide our decisions in life. 

Today, I encourage you to reach out to two people you don’t always get along with who have had something good happen to them recently and genuinely congratulate them. Trust me, it will be an amazing feeling when you lead with love.

Love Always Protects

Growing up, I was blessed with a big family, and that blessing gave me four sisters and one brother. Even though we are all close there is a particularly close bond my brother and I formed. Maybe it was due to the fact that we were the last two - I am the last girl and he is the last and only boy. Or maybe it is due to the fact that we were only a year apart and we spent more time in the same academic institutions together. Needless to say, we always had each other’s back no matter what; we felt like we had to stick together. I knew that no matter what trouble either one of us got into, my parents never knew who to blame because we always covered for each other. This bond has stayed with us even as we’ve gotten older. 

I tell this story because it parallels what God’s intention is when he says Love protects. God expects that when we love others, we stand up for them when they fall short and we protect them from harm. This does not mean we don’t speak the truth to them in love because remember, love rejoices in the truth. However, this means we protect their image and stand up for them when we can. When you see something unpleasant happen to someone, do you rise up to help (protect) him or her or do you turn away? One major way I have learned in recent times of how this scripture can be applied is through a prayer of protection. 

Protection is like a covering or shield. By praying for someone we are showing love to them and prayerfully protecting them by putting a covering of God over them. The power of prayer is so significant that the bible also encourages us to intercede for people. James 5:16, 1 Timothy 2:1, Ephesians 6:18.  How about you try something new today and say a prayer of protection over someone who comes to your mind? You might not see it immediately, and they might not know it, but God knows that you have extended love to someone.   

Through the month, I want to encourage you to be the alternate voice in the room and stand up for the person every time you hear people speak wrong about others in an attempt to tear them down. Protect them and choose to change the tone of the conversation. Be the one who changes the atmosphere through love.

Love Always Trusts

I remember back in college when I was frequently assigned to group projects. The process of working on these projects always required teamwork. In some courses, this worked perfectly and in other courses, this was a disaster. I wonder if anyone reading this can relate, half the time you and one other person on the team have to pick up the extra work that other team members didn’t do because we knew if we didn’t we would all fail…….you win as a team and fail as a team right? It was certainly an exercise of trust each time. However, if you were constantly working with a bad team that could really shape your idea of teamwork and trust.   

The ability to trust others comes easily for some, but for others, it doesn’t. This ability is further reinforced by our experiences whether good or bad. God requires us to trust always; 1st Corinthians 13:7, this does not mean he wants us to be undiscerning but he wants us to love from a place of trust. This means allowing others to see the real us - not building walls around ourselves because we are constantly worried about getting hurt. Trust means giving people credit and not expecting that they will fail or fall short of your expectations. Like the opening example I gave, trust is not always expecting wrong from others but giving them the benefit of the doubt. Trusting the truth in others and trusting yourself is part of loving yourself. Mathew 22:39 Trust also means not being skeptical all the time but believing people for who they are. 

As you go into today, think about one person you need to expend love to by trusting them to be who they have said they will be or do what they said they will do. Remember not to rejoice when they don’t get it right the first time but lovingly allow them to find their way. 

Love Always Hopes

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade; some others say make lemon pie. Whatever you decide to do with your lemons is up to you but I know for sure that life does not always give us the perfect scenario. Love is an action word, and to hope is to believe, which is a continuous act of hoping for the best no matter what.  

As mentioned on day 3, sometimes our experiences can make it hard for us to hope for things. Even the bible says hope deferred makes the heart go weary. Proverbs 13:12. Trust me, I personally have believed in some things, and when what I hoped for did not happen, it crushed me. But does that mean I stop hoping? I have a choice: either keep believing or stop existing, and I choose to be hopeful. The Bible never tells us that hard times won’t come John 16:33, but he says he will be with us through them. Part of being a loving person or a person that shows love means that you are hopeful and full of joy with a positive attitude.  Even when things don’t seem positive, always see the bright side and be optimistic about the future.   

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Make it a choice to be hopeful about life and approach people with believing and seeing the best in them. So today choose to be that person that spreads hope and joy and be that light and beacon of hope. When we are hopeful, it is easier to extend hope and love towards others.

Love Always Persevere

When I think about the love of God and how he constantly goes out of his way to love me and care for me even when sometimes when I stray and get busy and distracted, I am thankful his love remains steadfast and true. I love the song ‘Known’ by Tauren Wells; the chorus sums it up “I'm fully known and loved by You
You won't let go no matter what I do
And it's not one or the other
It's hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known fully known and loved by You
I'm fully known and loved by You.” 

Perseverance, in its simplest form, is not giving up—pushing through no matter what. God has shown us this example with ourselves, and from this, we, too, can show an example of love to others and persevere in the place of love. 2 Thessalonians 3:13. I don’t know if you have people in your life you will consider “difficult to love” because they keep doing things that make loving them hard.

Sometimes we want to give up on them, but this passage reminds us that love perseveres. 1st Corinthians 13:7. Trust me, it’s not easy but with God, it is more than possible. I am not encouraging you to remain in a relationship that is toxic, or harmful to you physically or emotionally. Nonetheless, choose to extend love on perseverance from a distance by caring for others. Even when someone doesn’t seem lovable, go out of your way to show them, love. God knows the depths of our hearts and chooses to love us the same. 

Today, think about one person to whom you need to extend love without giving it. Some of us are quick to cut friends out of our lives without giving them a chance. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to help you extend this kind of love to someone and ask him who in your life you need to extend love to.