What does love look like? What is love? God defines love best in 1 Corinthians 13 this passage is mostly read during wedding ceremonies but what does it look like in our day to day life style?
“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.”
??1 Corinthians? ?13:3-10?
Recently I’ve been wrestling with how to love my team, the people of India and just everyone better? How do I love someone well? During my quiet time with the Lord I am continuing to ask how do I love better? How do I portray love in a manner that others will receive it and that lines up with what God says in scripture?
This past week we stayed in a small village on the coast of India, this village exuded love, from the moment we drove up I felt loved and a sense of home. The pastor and his family showed us an abundance of love, the people and the children here poured love on us. The love they have is a different kind of love, they love from the overflow of their hearts. I’ve sat in awe of how well these people have loved me and my team.
They have selflessly loved us for example they run to the local store just to get us soda, they feed us cookies and chi all the time, they will even drag a bed inside so we don’t have to sit in the hot sun, mind you these are all people we have just met. At home we like to call it “going the extra mile” but here it’s what they do, it’s the love they have for complete strangers, that reminds me of scripture. The people here in this village have reminded me of what love looks like on a daily basis , how the father wants us to love.
We come to these places and expect to pour out the gospel and show them love, but I can’t help but feel completely overwhelmed by the sense of joy and love they have showed us in the 3 days we were there. I can’t imagine not knowing the Fathers love in this way. Its only been one day since we have left the village and my heart longs to go back and feel that love again.
Anyways, here are some pictures from the village! PEACE
XOXO
Heather
