“Jesus’ mission was firmly rooted in the Father’s love for His creation.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 21, 2024
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 1 John 3:14
Everyone has gifts and talents which they have divinely received from the Creator for the benefit of others. Some people can sing. Some are skilled at helping others with personal problems. Some are good at crushing business challenges and some work well with children. We’ve all been given gifts and talents.
However, here in the Western World there can sometimes be a problem: we can be more focused on finding our passion and calling and doing “our thing” than we are on loving others through what we do. When this happens, we won’t experience the maximum joy God wants us to know when we serve others by using our gifts.
It’s a problem if we’re more focused on what we do than why we do it—which is to love others well. The Lord’s desire is that every gift and calling is simply a vehicle through which we express love to others which is God’s second greatest command:
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).
This means that if you’re more concerned with being an investor than you are with serving the people in your business, your priorities are out of whack.
Galatians 5:6 says that what’s important is faith working itself out through love.
And 1 Corinthians 16:14 commands us to do everything with love.
While goals and giftings are great, if we focus more on results and what we can accomplish rather than loving others through our doing, we have missed the point. Even Jesus’ mission was firmly rooted in the Father’s love for His creation.
In 2003, God moved me into ministry when I started writing and speaking. As I look back, I realize that I started out with the right intentions, to love others well through my calling. But, then—sadly—I became more concerned with results and what I was doing rather than who I was serving.
Maybe you can relate. Do you need a heart check for why you do what you do? Have you become more concerned about what you are doing than who you are serving? Has love taken a back seat to results? If so, confess to Jesus and ask Him to give you a heart to love through what you do.
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2).
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the beauty of love in my life and the privilege and honor that I have of loving others by using my gifts and talents. Help me to love others well and help me to be most concerned with loving others, above all else. Amen.
Application
Is there someone you need to love well through action? If so, do what God is asking you to do today.
Related Reading
Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:14
Worship Resource
Danny Gokey: Love God, Love People
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