Walk In Love

Barbara Latta

On one of my visits to the airport a banner hung above the escalator which proclaimed, “Welcome Home, Troops” to all who looked above the stairs. USO volunteers in red vests were ready to greet the returning soldiers with small gifts of thanks as they arrived. Family members waited impatiently behind a rope partition clutching flowers, flags, and yellow ribbons.

God first loved us

As one soldier received his token from the greeter, he turned toward the family waiting area and spied a young boy. The man got down on his knees, opened his arms, inviting the toddler into his embrace. The boy ran toward the invitation of his father and was covered in strong hands that lovingly held him tight.

This is how God wants to love us. He opens Himself, waiting for us to run to him. We can love him because He first loved us (I John 4:10).

 But how do we love one another, especially someone who isn’t acting in a godly manner?

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJV).

Sometimes we think it’s impossible to do, but Christ has instructed us on more than one occasion to love each other. It’s easy to love our relatives and friends when they love us in return. When everyone is acting like they should and being nice, it takes no effort to follow God’s command.

Anger can be diffused with love

But what about the grumpy sales clerk, the person who cuts us off in traffic, or the angry boss? Our inability to love the unlovely is difficult when we define love as the emotion we feel when we use the word love.

Treating someone the way Christ would treat them in an undesirable situation has nothing to do with emotion, but everything to do with action. God’s unconditional love is a choice not a feeling.  It will be a daily decision we make when we encounter those who are difficult.

How can we withhold love, the greatest gift God ever gave to man, from others? He didn’t withhold it from us.

Today’s Roadmap: I will make a conscious decision today to show the love of God to all those I encounter. I will not depend upon my feelings, but I will guide my actions by God’s commands. 

Share your thoughts about loving others.

Holiday De-Stress

The holidays are over. Ah, peaceful bliss. Maybe.

It all depends on how we handle it. Between November and December we are subjected to different amounts of stress whether we cause it or not. There is more of everything. Parties, shopping, cooking, church and school plays, traveling and mailing.

Even if we are not the ones doing all the buying, driving, or participating in events, we can get caught up in the middle of those who are. Traffic is more congested, stores are crowded, and crime seems to increase.

After it is all over, we want to breathe a sigh of relief for the end of it all. But the cessation of activity can sometimes bring despair instead of the release we crave. After the big buildup, we can feel let down in our emotions. January seems to bring dismal weather and that can add to the cloud that gathers over our head.

The cure is to focus on the right things. We know what our holidays are supposed to be about. And even if we did get caught up in the stress of it all, it’s possible to go back in our minds and be thankful for all our blessings and praise God for giving us something to celebrate.

It’s never too late to think about others. Many charities expand their outreach to the needy during holidays, but the cause doesn’t end because the time of year changes. We can still give to these groups even if there is no one outside a store ringing a bell. We can send thank you notes to those who gave to us or provided us with a service in the previous year.

And best of all, making time each day to just slow down, thank God, and be conscious of listening to Him will calm our souls and lighten our mood.

Finding something to focus on other than the holiday meltdown can keep our emotions on the right track and keep us from falling into the January doldrums.

What are some ways you combat the after-holiday melancholy?