What does it mean to love?

Putting off selfishness, fear, and false stereotypes enables us to love more. Ultimately discovering more about God, Love itself, shows who we are as the image and likeness of Love and infinitely capable of loving.

Jesus said to his followers,

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

We have countless opportunities to love throughout our day: waiting in traffic, caring for children, caring for the elderly, business relationships, spouse relationships, interactions with strangers.

Here are some powerful examples of love I heard recently:

• “It was all about love” was the divine message one woman received when she prayed to better understand her loving relationship with her mom — to have a sense of peace — after her mother passed away.
• “I will not respond with anger or fear. I will respond with love” thought one man after he was put in a headlock by a mentally ill patient. Ultimately the patient felt the man relax and let him go unharmed.
• “I’m sorry that you had to grow up without a father” said one male juvenile to a female police officer in a new community-focused panel designed to break down barriers between police and citizens.

There are countless examples of the power of Love to bring protection and healing to any given situation.

What is it that prevents us from loving? Ultimately, it is fear — a fear of limited time, ability, wealth, etc.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Christ Jesus words may seem like a hard task to follow, but we can begin losing a limited sense of life each day by giving up selfishness, anger, hatred, revenge, and frustration. These negative pulls obscure our ability to feel God’s love.

What is the reward for doing so? A better and safer world to live in, more harmonious relationships, closer-knit communities, a feeling of individual dominion, and being at one with God’s grace and unconditional love.

1. John 13:34-35 NIV
2. Mathew 16:25 NASB

PS – It’s great to be back blogging with you! Please see that I did change the name of my blog. ~Peace and blessings