1 Peter 4:7-11
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Yesterday, when I visited my niece and her family, I noticed a box of homemade cookies sitting on their kitchen table. My niece said her husband brought them home from a handyman job he had done for a lady who belongs to my church. It was such a simple act…baking a box of cookies for a young couple and their three small children. But I can tell you for certain… that box was filled with a whole lot more than cookies! This woman is a generous, loving person who sees the big picture. She knows the impact of a single act of love and kindness. It wasn’t about the cookies at all… it was about saying, “I love you and care about you… you matter… remember this with every bite!” Even at 3½, Timothy was talking about Mrs. Pierce, the nice lady who had made cookies for them – and they had CHOCOLATE kisses! He felt her love… and he won’t forget it!
Think about the possibilities if each and every believer loved others as if their very lives depended on it… giving meals to the hungry and beds to the homeless – not because there was a church program in place to do this, but because a need existed and a believer met it. And let’s not be as literal as a meal or a bed. What if you see a young mother struggling in line at the store to fish out another dollar for the cashier while two little kids tug on her and whimper… and you are standing there with an extra dollar in your open wallet? Have you considered the impact you might make if you handed the cashier YOUR dollar?
Suppose you notice a friend wearing the same clothing virtually every single day, and you have more clothes in your closet than you can possibly wear. Imagine what might happen if you handed him a t-shirt or an extra pair of sneakers and said, “I almost never wear these, and I thought you might be able to put them to good use.” Do you have half a dozen jackets and coats that you rarely put on? Could you share one with someone who has nothing? When was the last time you spoke to your neighbor? Have you ever called an elderly friend or relative, just to ask how they are getting along and see if there is anything they need? How often do you offer others a spontaneous hug when you greet them?
I don’t know what opportunities you will have to serve. I have no clue whether your schedule will permit you to get involved in organized ministries at your church… or if you are tapped out already and in need of a little ministry for yourself! But I do know that we all miss out on opportunities each and every day to offer love to others. I’m not talking about huge, grand gestures… but small, seemingly insignificant ones. They don’t necessarily take a lot of time or energy, but their impact packs a wallop! In essence, we need to be sure we are plugged in to God and His incredible capacity to forgive us…His astounding desire to shower us with love.
When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, ask yourself how you showed love to someone else today. Did you grab opportunities to be generous with the gifts God gave you… to make His presence known to another by your gesture of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – or a combination of all of these? Did you love as if your life depended on it… and did Jesus get the credit? Are you attuned to God’s voice? Do you hear Him leading you to opportunities to love others on His behalf? Just how connected are you with God? Isn’t it time you plugged in again?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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