Love: Share it

Spread love everywhere you go.

Let no one ever come to you

without leaving happier.   – Mother Teresa  (Brainyquotes)

In Matthew 22: 37, Jesus replied to a Pharisee who had asked him which is the greatest commandment in the Law, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Jesus continued his explanation in verse 38, “This is the greatest commandment.”  And at verse 39, “And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus summed up at verse 40, “All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Love. This is the foundation upon which we are to establish our lives. Jesus has taught us that love is the greatest commandment of all. We are to extend love to our neighbors just as we do to ourselves. We are to love God with everything that we are: our minds, our hearts, our souls.

I John 4:8 tells us, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Love. God is love. 

I Corinthians 13: 4-8 defines for us what love is: (4) “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (5) It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (8) Love never fails. . .”

I Corinthians 13: !3 reaffirms what Jesus taught us about the greatest commandment:

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Mother Teresa’s words reflect the greatest commandment to love.

Of course, in reality, it isn’t always easy to love others especially when others are less than kind to us. In my own life, I try to consider the other person’s life, those hidden hurts that I cannot see that lie hidden in that person’s soul. Of course, I cannot save anyone. Only Our Lord Jesus can do that. But, I can be kind. I can be patient. I can be polite. I can be compassionate. I can attempt to understand the other person’s point of view although I might not agree with it. I can choose to build bridges rather than destroy bridges. I can extend a hand rather than refuse to hold a hand. I can show God’s love by reflecting His love and sharing it with all whom I meet.

Jenny W. Andrews Copyright 2020