Love and Respect

“Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ ‭

It’s Valentine’s Day here in America. Flowers are being delivered. Cards are being written. Candy is being purchased. Reservations are being made. Grand gestures of love have been prepared for this specific day of the year. Many have high expectations and others want to drown out the day as they see their lack of a partner as a deficiency on their part.

I am not opposed to the holiday. Personally, I am more moved by little gestures of love that come unexpectedly. I am not impressed by gestures prompted by a specific date (be it Valentine Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc). They are nice, but love should be expressed daily not just on one specific day or a few specific days of the year.

As Christians, we are called to love others. This is not just for our spouses, children, family and friends. This is for our neighbors, coworkers, peers and even enemies. This is a daily thing we should do. Jesus went out of His way to love others, daily. He loved with the love that does not fail.

“Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭

Love and respect go hand in hand. “Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, and respect the Emperor.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬ ‭

Pausing to look at others through the eyes of God, allows us to respect others and love others like He does. Everyone is a big word. It includes the homeless begger on the street, the CEO of the Fortune 500 company, and everyone in between. He wants us to be eager in showing respect to everyone. He wants us to warmly love others.

Prayer – Lord, I know I am not always the most loving person. I also can be disrespectful. I am sorry. I want to do better. I want to be better. Give me eyes to see as You see. Let me receive Your love so completely in my life that it warmly flows from me to everyone I encounter. Let the respect for others also permeate from me.