Sunday Inspiration from 1 John

Proverbs 31:20 reads, "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

How many of us can actually say we do this? Even if we do, do we help others as much as we'd like? Why not? I think part of it has to do with our uncertainty about what others need. If we thought about it though, I'm sure we'd all agree that many of us have teh same needs as those around us. We all have financial needs, no matter what it may look like on the outside, we have the need to feel like we belong and we are loved. Is there someone around you that you know could use you to extend your arms to them this week? Be aware of opportunites that arise, they are all around us. They are in the ladies we bump into at the supermarket, the stressed out dad at the doctor's office, the teenager behind the register and even the customer service rep on the phone. I think we'd all be surprised if we could see the true needs of others.

God is love and our obligation to love others is a debt. It's what we owe.

"And He has given us this command, Whoever loves God must also love his brother" 1 John 4:21

"And everyone who loves the father loves His child also" 1 John 5:1

So who is our brother, our neighbor, or God's child? Does this really extend to everyone? Well the answer may not be so simple. The Bible is clear that it does extend to all Christians, but what about those "other" people? The best answer I've heard about this came from Tom Oyler this morning at my church. He asid that when it comes to loving others, it has nothing to do with those "other people" and everything to do with us.

So stop trying to judge wether or not others "deserve" your love and kindness and instead just realize that it is your obligation to love.

Some may say, "Well if I act like I love this person then this is being hypocritical since I have no love for them." True, and yes it is not good for you to intentially be a hypocrite, however, you are being a hypocrite of your duties as a Christian if you do not show love. So you choose, show love to those around you even though you may not truly feel it, or don't show love and disobey this very blatant command God has given us - "the greatest of these is love"

Or maybe you don't think you have anything to offer. It doesn't always take a monetary or material gifts to show love. How about calling someone to check in, sending an email to tell someone how much you care, hugging someone who could use a hug? There are so many ways to show God's love. Think about a day recently when you were feeling low. What could have brightened your day? Even if it is monetary, it doesn't have to be much. Just because you don't have enough money for everything you want doesn't mean that you don't have more than enough money to help someone out. The person next door may be wondering where in the world they're going to find $30 for their water bill this month, yet you're going to spend that after church today on lunch. Look around you, you have plenty to give.

So do something today to show others you love them. Humble yourself if necessary, I'm sure it will be. Go out on a limb, reach out to those around you because if truth be told, they do have the same needs as you. we're not so different underneath the surface.

Please comment and tell me how you have been shown love this week or how you were able to show it to someone else.

Let's join together as Christian woman striving harder each day to show the love of God.

Be Blessed,

Jessica Moore