Love is International

Love understands all languages ~ Romanian proverb

Love is kind. Love is a smile. Love is forgiving. Love doesn't search for what others do wrong. Love is its own language of grace and blessings we can bestow to others. Love isn't selfish.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NLT, Paul sums up love beautifully.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

In other words, love doesn't have to be spoken. An action or reaction is enough to express the message of this Christlike love to others that leads to a long, happy life. Hate and grumbling and selfishness are death to the soul. I have seen, first-hand, how this robs a person of a good life that God intends for them. They don't enjoy life because they're too busy holding grudges and seeking revenge - on miniscule things that happen to them. And they take no responsibility for the unhappiness they have created for themselves.

My goal is to help people understand how a good and happy life begins with an appetite to give love. You may get 1 opportunity to show God's love to someone. And that opportunity may be a moment that person has been waiting for their entire life - just a gentle word, a smile, pocket change that will help them finish paying for a meal or their groceries. Not long ago, my husband was eating with some of his friends during their lunch break from work, and an elderly couple were just short of having enough to pay for their burgers, fries, and drinks. He paid for their meal so they could keep their money for another meal. It wasn't even $10, but they were so grateful to him for a simple gesture. Even if you can't pay for someone's meal, you can be patient while you wait for them to decide what to do about their predicament.

Image courtesy of Khadeeja Yasser via Unsplash

In honor of God's love and grace,

Patricia

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