Ephesians 4:11 – 16
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves; and blow here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
So many of us have talents that allow us to school others in faith and draw them to our Heavenly Father. As is emphasized by Paul, our love for others becomes an instrument for drawing them to Him. During our lives, there are so many ways to testify about our faith in God and demonstrate what a wonderful Heavenly Father we enjoy. As a disciple for our Heavenly Father, we can use our love for others to draw them to Him.
Recently, the Lord demonstrated to me that when I love others, even those I don’t minister to, it creates an opportunity for me testify about my faith in Him and how He sets an aspirational standard for our lives. We all inherit health gifts from the parents we love. My genetic gifts of osteoporosis and pre-diabetes have motivated me to do a worship walk every morning. As I stroll about 2.5 miles through my neighborhood listening to Christian tunes, I often see crappy trash lying throughout my neighborhood. For some reason, I felt called to start picking it up.
As I started this ritual, I picked up a few things here and there and then tossed them in the dumpsters in my townhouse community. When the pandemic began, I stopped because I didn’t feel that it was safe. Just a few days after this decision, I experienced a puncture of one of my tires as I drove over something trashy. I consider the $117 that I had to spend on a new tire a calling by God to demonstrate my love for others by protecting them from experiencing the same tragedy.
After my friend Terry gave me some plastic gloves to protect my health, I began once again to pick up trash, but in a very determined way. In recent months, more and more individuals have praised me for my efforts. In those moments of praise, I share with them how our Heavenly Father laid on my heart that I need to demonstrate my love for my wonderful neighbors by protecting their vehicles and preserving the beauty of our community.
More and more often, I am getting praised, and more and more I verbally turn that praise to our Heavenly Father who motivated me to serve them and to confirm that I love them.
Jesus proclaimed that our love for our Lord and for others is the greatest commandment of our lives.
Mark 12:29 – 31
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
This new methodology in my life of loving my neighbors allows me to celebrate our Heavenly Father in my community and invite others to see our Heavenly Father as the loving, protecting God who He is.
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