DEVOTIONAL SERIES ON LOVE (part-23)

LOVE ACCOMPLISHES MUCH

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Let all that you do be done with love.
(1 Corinthians 16:14)

MEDITATION:
What motivates Christians to be an active part of a ministry or
a member of a church? It is an inherent characteristic of love
for people, and a desire to see Christ’s life-changing power have
an impact on others.

If we are driven by selfishness, our motives are wrong, and our
efforts will be ineffective. However, God can do something good
even through our selfish attempts, but we prevent our spiritual
maturity from growing as it should, if we fail to let unselfishness
dominate our selfishness.

As Christians, we find ourselves in all types of situations every day.
However, it’s our love for God, and God’s love for people, which
motivates us to serve Him. Without the love of God, we can spend
an inordinate amount of time ‘spinning our wheels’ in ineffective
service for His kingdom.

Man’s work may look good in the eyes of the world, but only the
love of God will produce lasting results. If we want to see the love
of God penetrate the hearts of the lost, we must let them see (and
know) that we love them and want what is best for them. That’s
not something that can be accomplished with a selfish heart.

ACTION:
Can others detect your love and concern for them by the things
you do and say? Others may never realize you love them until
they know you care about them and don’t think of yourself as
better than them.

When we care deeply about the welfare of others, God may inspire
us to say something to others that is awkward for us, and may not
be well received by them. However, when God motivates us to do
anything, He will give us the wisdom and courage to say what needs
to be said from a heart of love and concern. We have a responsibility
to listen to Him in advance of anything we say or do.

He doesn’t call us to ‘brow beat’ others, but to love them. Love
prevents us from having a feeling of superiority, or any other
type of self-righteousness over others. Jesus tells us to always
be aware that we have faults as well, so we should never think
of ourselves as better than anyone else.
    “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your
      brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank
      in your own eye? How can you say to your brother,
     ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when
      you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?
      You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye,
      and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
      from your brother’s eye.”
      (Luke 6:41-42)

The scriptures also tell us:
    Therefore if you have any encouragement from being
    united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any
    common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and
    compassion, then make my joy complete by being
    like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit
    and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition
    or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
    yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each
    of you to the interests of others.
    (Philippians 2:1-4)

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me. Help me
to love others as You love me, and to allow Your love
to flow freely to them through me. Remind me to pray
for those who are lost and need salvation, and for those
who say they believe in Jesus, but are living a lifestyle
contrary to what He expects of those who have made
a commitment to follow Him. Protect me from Satan’s
attempts to convince me that I am superior to others,
and continue to remind me that I am a sinner too, but
one who has been saved due to Your grace.”

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