Surely there are few things more important in life than loving out loud. Where pure, unselfish love is lacking, that relationship is as lasting as a balloon let go – to drift aimlessly to the ground.
When did we stop celebrating one anothers’ successes? Feeling sincerely happy when others win, progress, emerge or soar?
Or why are our voices silent when others’ are in need?
Why have we ceased to meet together, to weep together, to laugh together, to pray together?
Why did we give up on drawing close, standing shoulder to shoulder and investing deeply in someone other than ourselves?
Why don’t we overdo it- go all out – when it comes to blessing and encouragement? Are we really ‘too busy’, or can we just not be bothered?
Have we forgotten that we were made for fellowship and placed in family ? God didn’t intend us to be solitary in life because he knew life was sweeter spent with others. .’sweet friendship refreshes the soul’….’pity the one who falls and has no friend to pick him up.’
Why has our love been silenced?
Have our hearts turned so introverted, selfish, perhaps even covetous that we’d rather compare and compete – criticise and confront – ignore and scoff- than take time to cheer and encourage? Or do we pray for that double-portion of blessing on those we struggle to get along with?
We’ve learned before that ‘out of the mouth, the heart speaks’, so once again we see that these heart matters are actually matters of the heart.
How pure is the overflow?
We cannot escape the fact that if it matters to Him, it must matter to us. He calls us to not just love but to love DEEPLY.
I’m becoming more convinced than ever before that somewhere alongside the dimming flame of our love for each other, flickers kindness – the forgotten fruit. Perhaps in our ever-so-busy-can’t-keep-up lives, we’ve let go of one of life’s basic essentials- being kind. It’s easier to count wrongs, it’s easier to find flaws, it’s easier to pass judgement. How quick we fall into frustration throughout our day, repeatedly finding something or someone to be annoyed about YET we refuse to speak up, encourage, affirm, engage or stand alongside each other, whatever the cost.
It would appear, because of our sinful hearts, loving kindness and genuine desire for others to excel needs cultivated, drawn out. Lord we need the Holy Spirit’s help.
Love and kindness stand right beside humility, which calls for your success before mine, your joy before mine, your position before mine, your recognition before mine- let’s face it humility costs too.
I love that when we think of Creator God, we see images of plenty. He does not give sparingly, nor does He favour one over the other. His blessings don’t stop at the house next door, the desk beside ours, the family across from us at church.
God reaches to us from running streams of abundance.
So then…their blessings have nothing to do with mine .
Thier success doesn’t threaten mine.
We need to look again at His loving-kindness to us as a sinful people. He could have made excuses, He could have turned His back- but He chose to reach in.
” But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
Titus 3:4,5
Perhaps we’re busy ticking all the other boxes of good-living but have seriously neglected His primary command. LOVE one another. DEEPLY. Not just for their sake but for our own.
Maybe it’s time to stop looking for the worst in others and find gold in the dirt.
Maybe it’s time to cultivate kindness as a way of life.
Maybe it’s time to humble, time to cheer, time to embrace, time to pursue.
Maybe it’s time to raise our voices, they’ve been silenced long enough.
Love much. Love deeply.
Love out loud.
A Heart after His... 