HE WOULD LOVE FIRST

 

*this is an article I wrote for a magazine I contribute to, Christ Light Magazine. I pray and hope you are blessed and the Holy Spirit speaks to you through it. Much Love, Beth.*

 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

 

Have you ever been buying a coffee or getting something at the store and the server or cashier was rude to you? I know I’m not the only one who has had this happen to them. And I know it’s very frustrating, especially if you were making an effort to smile and be nice (which we always should).

For instance, in my town at our local Dollar General there is a cashier who is rather rude. She pretty much always slams things around and is hateful with you for no reason at all. It didn’t take too long for me to get frustrated with this lady. But the Holy Spirit compelled me to do something different…something beyond the frustration. Pray for her. Whoa. Now that’s something most of us don’t want to do when someone is being hateful with you, especially if it is a repeated thing. But God wants me to love her and be kind to her. He doesn’t want me talking bad about her all the time. After all, how would this be any different from the wrong she does?

In the verse above Jesus gives us a commandment to love, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” And He also says, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Wow. That is so powerful. By us loving one another and demonstrating the love of God through our actions, people will know we are Jesus’ disciples. They will know we are followers of Jesus.

We are the hands and feet of Jesus. Everything we do should represent the person Jesus Christ. People should always be able to see Jesus in us. When we love, when we show the love of Jesus by our actions, they will be able to see Him. They will see something different and they will want to know what that is. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the lady at the Dollar General saw Jesus in me, saw there was something different, and found Jesus because of it? What if the next person you came across that was unkind to you saw Jesus in you and was changed?

I try to pray now, and not talk bad, about the people who are rude to me. The people who cut me off in the Walmart parking lot and just sinful people I see in general. I have IN NO MEANS mastered this. I have still talked about the lady at the Dollar General, I have still rolled my eyes-or at least wanted to-at the things she does. But I still am praying for her. Even while writing this article, the Holy Spirit has convicted me about more things I can do to show and be the love of Jesus to her and to others around me.

Won’t you join me?