Everyone wants to be loved. If we aren’t careful, we look for it in all the wrong places. When we look for love in the wrong places, we are quick to believe lies and get hurt.Although as youth leaders, we must be careful when talking with our youth about love and relationships, we must be bold in discussing the perks and pitfalls of “love”.
God calls us to love Him with everything we have in us and to love our neighbors more than we love ourselves. He calls us to put others before ourselves but after Him.
Luke 10:27 ~ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Our youth today, seems to think love one another is more boyfriend and girlfriend. They throw the word love around without any meaning. Unfortunately, today’s society and media portrays love as something fleeting, temporary, in the moment. Lasting love is a thing of the past so love freely and without reservation.
John 13:34-35 ~ “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
God calls us to act out of love for one another not out of anger. When things are out of control in your life and people are driving you crazy, respond with love.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ~ Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
Although God calls us to love one another, He is speaking of brotherly love. He wants us to love sincerely.
Romans 12:9-10 ~ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
God tells us that love is the greatest emotion there is in this world. We should accompany love with faith and hope but keep love at the top.
1 Corinthians 13:13 ~ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
God promises to bless our love if we are faithful, monogamous, and selfless in our love.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 ~ May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
Part of loving others is helping them when they have a need. If we can clothe someone in need, we should. If we can feed someone who is hungry then we are sharing God’s love. Words are easy but actions mean so much more.
1 John 3:17-18 ~ If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
MORE SCRIPTURE:
1 John 4:15-21 ~ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Tags: Caring For Others, Christianity, Discipling, Living Your Faith, Love, Religion and Spirituality
