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On love
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us the fruits of the Spirit. These are nine little things that could be golden rules for mankind. I've heard many preachers talk about them, and most agree: it doesn't mean that if you are still working on one you are not living a Spirit-led life. However, these are fruits that help us spot the working of the Spirit in us, so maybe the lack of one can mean that we need to ask God to take that specific trait onto His hand and work in us.
The first fruit Paul talks about is love. And by the amount of times that the word love pops up in the Bible, it doesn't take a genius to figure that is a major one right there. Love God. Love others. Love widows and orphans. Love your enemies. Love, love, love.
It's easy to love our family and friends. It's not hard to love kind people, gentle children and nice strangers. It's easy to love all that promotes beauty and joy.
Loving the guy who cuts you off in traffic? Not so easy. The girl who looks down on you because your hair is a mess? Quite a stretch. The toddler who is throwing a tantrum on the next table at the restaurant? The crazy homeless who swears at you? The football player who kills dogs? The child molester? The corrupt politician? Not so easy, now is it?
I don't have much to say, because I am still learning, and this is a heavy topic. Who am I to be a hypocrite, preaching how to love when there are times I have to remind myself I love my own husband, even if he drives me up the walls just a bit? I do, however, love this quote from Mark Lowry, and hope it can inspire us all:
