May 2018 Articles

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Spiritual Corner: Love Like Jesus

Spiritual Corner: Love Like Jesus
You never know what someone is going through. Just like others don’t always know what YOU are going through. People hide behind fake smiles and laughter every single day. They act outgoing and extroverted when really they are just trying to hide their pain. People cover up their weaknesses so that they can appear strong. That person who is rude to you in the checkout line…they just might be dealing with something terrible. I’m not saying that that is an excuse for their behavior, however, we still need to be kind and be understanding. We need to try to put ourselves in another’s shoes and give people the benefit of the doubt. It’s most likely that WE have been that rude person at some point in our life because of something that we were dealing with. In my short 27 years of life, I’ve encountered a lot of different people, both adults and kids. Most of the time, whenever we get to know a person a little bit better, we realize some extremely heart-breaking things about their lives or what they’re dealing with. You have the brand new mothers, who are trying to be good wives and mothers, but who are also trying to still be themselves. They never feel like they’ve done quite enough and always feel like there’s something else to do. Then you have the kids who are practically raising themselves, who are working more than some adults are, just because they have to. What about the kids whose parents have lots of money, but who receive practically zero personal attention from their parents? Then there’s adults dealing with marital problems or sickness in their family. They are trying so hard to do everything, but feel like they keep falling short. There are kids dealing with emotional issues, struggling with self-harm, self-esteem, and bullying. What about the children who just want someone to love them and make them feel special? There are adults who are overwhelmed from struggles of their job, feelings of inadequacy, or just a loss of hope. Everywhere you turn, someone is hurting. This world is so plagued by sin and there’s only one cure for that sin and it’s Jesus. When we look at Jesus and His life, we see wisdom, boldness, patience, kindness, sympathy, and determination. What we see the most though is love. So what do you think is the best way for us to show or tell others about Jesus? I would think it would be through employing Jesus’ most powerful characteristic—LOVE! We need to LOVE others wherever they may be at in their life. At times when we really don’t like someone because of their behavior, we still need to LOVE them and let them know that we love them. It’s extremely difficult for someone to not be impacted when another person shows them such love and kindness in every situation. God commands us to love others over and over in the Bible. I’m trying to love more and I’m trying to be more bold with my love, so that people can SEE my love for them. It’s one thing to love someone else, but if they don’t know that you do because you don’t show it, then what good does it do? So today, remember to show LOVE to all of the people who cross your path. Our world may be strained by sin, but “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1st Peter 4:8). --Dana Alexander
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity”. –Colossians 3:14
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law”. –Romans 13:8
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing”. –1st Corinthians 13:2
“Do everything in love”. –1st Corinthians 16:14
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”. –Ephesians 4:2
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you”. –John 15:12