Love in Unity

 

Let the Love Flow!!  As we begin the month of February, I will be focusing on love verses, and all the examples Jesus helps us to see love throughout the Bible. I have to share; this crossed my mind, especially this past week.  Day after day, I saw situations where love was absent.  There were small places and large places, but around every corner the need to be first, or right, or better, or pride, took over the need to be together.

It started with a snowstorm we had on Monday.  Driving to work that morning, I was amazed at the people who could not wait, who could not let others in on a merge, who needed to blow their horns in anger, versus having compassion for others driving in the snow.  I got to work safely and pondered about the folks who performed those acts.  If they had reacted just a tad differently, they would not have started their day off in a more giving way.

Throughout the balance of the week, I continued to see it again.  People lashing out to others instead of responding with love.  The need to prove “I am right” or “I am better than you” took center stage.  It tore at my heart to see the body language of the folks who were the recipients of this behavior.  The look of rejection or lack of self-worth was all over their faces.  I thought about my actions over the past week, and I am certain that I, as well, did not respond with love in all situations.  There were times when I could have chosen different words or different actions to provide a better outcome.  Reflect with me.  Have there been times when you could have responded with love? I can guarantee that although we may want to respond this way, time or pride can get the better of us. 

Paul reminds us of something important in this particular verse.  Love binds us together in unity.  As I look around my small world and into the larger one, we all could use a bit more love.  Instead of finding ways to bring division, let us find ways to bring unity.  It starts in our own families – opportunities for us to share love versus contentious behaviors.  It starts at work, having patience for the new coworker who is demonstrating difficulty for ‘catching on’ to new processes.  It starts at the grocery store by letting someone who only has one item to your thirty to go in front of you.  And, just maybe, it shows up on the road, by letting the person take that great parking space versus you ‘gunning’ for it.  Building people up.  Binding people together.  This is the love that Jesus wants us to share.  Think about the incredible and unconditional love our Savior shows for us each and every day.  Think about the unity He has brought into your life.

It is time to ‘let the love flow’ and show the love Jesus has for us to others.  It is time for us to build people up and bind people together in the unity of love.  May we all focus on this in the coming week and find a way to share God’s love with those around us.

Dearest Jesus, you so freely share your love with us.  May we learn from the way you love us and love others.  May they know we are Christians by our love!  Help us to identify moments where love needs to be present – and may we be the ones to bring that love.  Amen!