“You cannot receive what you don’t give. Outflow determines inflow.” ~ Laozi
When we listen to the news, read the paper, scroll social media, and view the people around us, we hear many people speaking of judgment, blame, divisiveness, hate, racism, and evil, but only a sound bite here and there about love. Love is the most potent action; there is no defense against it, but we withhold it more often than not.
The same is true for our lives in general. Because we tend to become consumed with individualism, we squander many opportunities to offer love to those around us. Sure, there are occasional sound bites of love throughout our days, weeks, months, and years, but all too often, love is the exception and not the rule. How often do we intentionally go out of our way to carry out random acts of love?
It’s always important to remember that we are nothing more than a clanging cymbal if we do anything in life without love (1 Corinthians 13). If we want to change the world, we must learn to love God and others first and foremost. We can’t change the world by forcing people to get in line with our big ideas and plans. Nothing will mess us up quicker than trying to change others to meet our expectations. Our only aim is to love God and others, and we all fall way short.
How will you go above and beyond today to incorporate love and service into your day?
Lord, thank You for loving us despite our extreme self-centeredness. We live by self-propulsion, handing out scripts for everyone to follow and then becoming irate when they fall short. We push our agendas with an occasional sound bite of love coming from our lips. Please forgive us and help us overcome our selfish ways. Remove the flaws within ourselves and society that block us from truly love You and each other. In Your Spirit and Name, we pray these things. May Your will not ours always materialize, now and forever. Amen.
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