📖 Morning Devotional: Our Most Important Work!
Text: 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
All throughout the Bible, Scripture is abundantly clear that love is at the center of what it means to be a follower
of Jesus.
In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love God with everything we are.
In John 13:35, Jesus says that people will know we're His disciples because of the way that we love others. We won't be recognised by our knowledge of the Bible, our families, the career paths we take, or the amount of time spent at church. While those are all important things, Jesus says that the most important quality is how we love other people.
1 Peter 4:8 tells us the same thing: we should be among the most loving people on earth, and our goal should be to love each other deeply. Peter, the author of this verse, also says love is the key to forgiving others. Just as we have been forgiven by Jesus, our love for other people should encourage us to forgive those who have wronged us.
Forgiving those who have mistreated us is one of the hardest things to do-it requires that we love deeply. That's why forgiveness is evidence of a life marked by God's love.
So if your closest friends were asked about your top qualities, what would they say? Would your top quality be how loving you are towards others? If not, know that you're not alone. None of us are perfect, and we can all do better at this. Today, ask God to show you ways that you can show love to those around you. Let Him fill your heart with a deep love for others!
📝Note: Love is the foundational doctrine that runs through the entirety of Scripture. In many ways, it is the central lesson God desires humanity to learn.
Everything God commands flows from love—love for Him and love for others. When these two are genuinely established in the heart, obedience ceases to be a burdensome obligation and becomes the natural expression of a transformed life.
For when a person truly loves God, they will desire to honour Him. And when they truly love people, they will seek their good rather than their harm.
Love, therefore, is not merely one virtue among many—it is the foundation upon which all godly living stands. 🙏🏽❤️