Loving Shoes

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."(1 John 3:16)

The standard has been set and it is high. We are to love. What exactly does that mean? Is it some warm squishy feeling that we need to feel for our brothers and sisters in Christ? No, it is something much deeper. It is not a feeling. Love actively seeks to serve a sister or brother. Love does not hide beneath perceived injury or individual rights. Love does not demand that a sister or brother behave in a certain manner. In fact, true love makes no demands. 

Earlier this week I came face-to-face with the lack of love within the church - again. A small request was made of our former place of ministry. Could they help? Answer: NO. Where is the kindness? Where is the desire to help one another? Where is the understanding of the church universal? Where is the love? How can we impact the world for Christ when we cannot even demonstrate love for our sisters and brothers?

Enough finger pointing. I need to examine my own heart! Am I living a life of love? When given the opportunity to interact with those who have brought great pain into the life of my family, am I prepared to act in love? This is a test I have yet to face. Am I ready? I don't know, but I cling to the words of 

1 John 4:19 : "We love because he first loved us." It is not for me to say to my brother or sister,"You love first, then I will love you." I love because I have been loved. Love has been lavished  upon me! 

This week, make the choice to wear loving shoes.

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love on another."(1John 4:11)