There is a lot going on in the month of February, like Black History Month which honors black Americans who made significant contributions to the country, their communities and the people they love. American Heart Month is also celebrated in February which focuses on the importance of cardiovascular health; and who could forget February 14th, Valentine’s Day. The day of verbal appreciation, chocolates, flowers, and gifts galore. If February is the month of appreciation, heart health and love then there is no better time than to intentionally implement Matthew 22:39 in how we treat and interact with others by loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Take a moment and think about the grace, understanding & forgiveness you desire when you hurt someone. That same expected grace should be given to anyone who may have wronged you. We take very good care of ourselves, when we are hungry we eat; if we’re cold, we make sure we find warmth. Whenever we are in need or want something, we do what’s necessary to satisfy that need. The point I’m marking is that we are good to ourselves and if we are going to live according to the golden rule, we must remember that love is the greatest gift we can ever give because it’s a pure reflection of God and His Spirit within us.
If loving your neighbor has been a challenge for you…remember as a faithful believer you are relying on the spirit of God, not your own because when you rely on your strength & understanding it will be a challenge. Love is the easiest thing we can do for one another because love consists of freedom, acceptance, compassion and kindness and all of those things are who the Lord is to us. We are the ones who make love difficult when our judgment and opinions of others take precedence instead of remembering that we are all sinners saved by grace. Jesus didn’t go to the cross for one person, He went for all. He was and is the greatest example of love and if you believe in Him, you must follow His command and love your neighbors as yourself, not only in the month of February but every day.
Until the Next Blog,
Blessings & Love!