Читать книгу Wellspring - Karen Moore - Страница 46

February 8

Complete in Love

If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing? Don't even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete.

—Matthew 5:46-48

Matthew reminds us that love isn't just about the people we're comfortable with, or the people who make us happy, or the people we relate to in some special way. Love is about our neighbors. It's about people we haven't met and never will. It's about doing what we can in the name of love for humankind. That's complete love, not excluding anyone simply because we don't have a personal kinship with them.

The ancient philosopher Tertullian said, "It is our care for the helpless, our practice of loving kindness, that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents. 'Look! . . . How they love one another! Look how they are prepared to die for one another."

Love is an action word and it is our mission to become better lovers, better givers, and better caretakers of others. That is what completes us. Reach out in love today.

In the Flow

Father, I am a neophyte in the arena of love. I love those who are near me, but I often neglect to seek out and embrace those outside my personal circle of friends. Help me be willing to love one more person today. Amen.