Fiona Veitch Smith

Matthew 22:34 – 39

Love is our natural birthright as a Christian – it’s an internal evidence of the Spirit within us. But the doing is external evidence for the world to see. That is the Fruit of the Spirit. We have love in us because God is Love; it’s getting it out that’s the problem.

Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our hearts, mind and strength and the second is to love others like we love ourselves. Sound easy? Oh no. There’s one big obstacle to that kind of love: our selves. To love like this means we have to put aside our own needs, wants and comforts for the sake of others. With a natural instinct for self-preservation built into us, that’s a hard thing to do.

That kind of love costs. If you want to know how much, look at what Jesus did on the cross. He considered our needs above his own – and it killed him! That’s pretty potent love.

Starting small

But did you notice that the first command is to love God? That’s because we cannot hope to love others unless we love God first and allow his love to flow through us. Love is a choice not a feeling, but you may find that the more you choose to put others first, the more you actually feel like doing it. Start small: leave the biggest slice of cake for someone else. Then work your way up to giving away things that really hurt. For me it’s time. If I’m resentful of it, I know that I’m not really acting out of God’s love in me. Are you?

Prayer: Dear God, help me to love as you love. Help me not to be content with mere feelings of love but to act upon them. Show me ways to put love into action and consider other people’s needs before my own. Thank you for your amazing love that cost you everything. Amen

This meditation is taken from a series in Faith Station. Published by King’s Cross Training.