Love Like Jesus

Recently, God is showing me more about being deliberate in my words, thoughts and actions, and how I need to love more.  Each day is filled with love and blessings through various interactions with those around us, however they are not always evident.  Sometimes we can come to the end of our day, just moving through the motions, and look back wondering where did this day go?

what I am learning is We MUST be intentional in seeking out the good in our days.

Recently I celebrated my birthday and was so blessed by all the love from my family and friends.  I even received a few God winks from complete strangers through random acts and words of kindness.  Don’t you all know, that is God’s love working through others to pour out on to us and the amazing thing is we can give it right back.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

We don’t know the story written on the pages within, until we read each line and discover the richness and depth of the content.  

We ought to treat people the same way, but taking one quick glance, we make the assessment, the assumption, the judgment.  

We decide the stamp of approval or denial.  

If God Himself accounts not for the outward appearance, but looks only at the heart, who do we think we are?

Who are you seeking out for your circle?  Is the love you give freely for their benefit or for yours?  

Remember, God sees your heart.  

Let’s look at three different accounts, demonstrating Jesus’ love and how He sought out those looked down upon in society.  His intentional love had an immense impact on multiple lives as a result.    

In Mark 2:14, the word tells us Jesus saw Levi at work in his office and called out to him, “follow me”.  Levi did as he was asked and gathered a whole gang of fellow “sinners” to dine with Jesus and His disciples.  The word says there were many and all came to follow Him and repent.  They were all saved because Jesus sought after one, and intentionally showed him love.  

I don’t see any account mentioned here of Jesus badgering or condemning those he dined with.  He merely sat together with them in fellowship and love.  

John 4:7 tells us when Jesus was on His way to Galilee, He said He “needed” to go through Samaria.  He purposely sought out this forbidden Samaritan woman at the well to have a little talk with her, a simple conversation.  Scripture goes on to say how she believed and then went to the city to tell the others about Jesus, the Messiah.  They all came and they too believed!  Hallelujah!  

Again, they were all saved because Jesus intentionally sought out one and showed her love.  

Luke 19:1 tells us about Zacchaeus, whom hearing about Jesus was curious.  He climbed up in a tree to see Him as Jesus was coming to town.  I fully believe Zacchaeus would have been content in just seeing Him, but Jesus had other plans.  He called him down from that tree.  Here again, we see Jesus seeking out to intentionally love on that one labeled “sinner” and looked down upon by society.  Again, the result of Jesus showing love to the one was salvation for Zacchaeus and his entire family.  

All three accounts, Jesus had no preempted agenda, no judgment, no condemnation.  Jesus didn’t give direction, quote scripture nor even once tell any of them how wrong they were living.  No, he went only to demonstrate and show the Father’s unconditional love, plain and simple.  

The result of showing love to one, was salvation for the multitudes.  

Often, too many times, we try to DO what only God Himself can do, transform lives.  

Let God be God.

We love and God transforms.

WE LOVE AND GOD TRANSFORMS.

We love and God transforms.