Love Has Come

Romans 12: 9-10
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

The holidays bring out the best in us and sometimes the not so good. As I say good-bye to another Thanksgiving and hello to Christmas, I aspire to focus on the fruit I'm to produce as a follower of Jesus. In Galatians 5, Paul shares the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit Jesus followers strive to produce.

I love the spirit of Christmas. The happiness that seems to float in the air. The holidays are certainly a time of love. A time to honor family and friends. And a time to offer love to the people we don't know by giving.  God calls us to love, not just those who are easy to love, but all people.

When I’m out and about, shopping, at the post office, at church, or with my family, I long to put my best foot forward and be an encourager to those who are stressed. This is a time when believers can show God’s love, be a light, and shine for Jesus.

Jesus tells his disciples, in John 13, to “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” He knew that when He went to heaven He needed to leave his disciples with a direct command. Those words are for us, too. Jesus wants us to love each other and to show that love by listening, showing compassion, meeting needs and sharing Jesus. Loving others is not always easy, but God gives us the tools we need and if we tap into his tool box, the Bible, we find love enough to share.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.