PathFinder Ministries

Sharing Your Purpose by Loving Others

A - "You can't give away what you don't have!" ~ Joyce Meyer

S - A new command I give you: Love one another....as I (Jesus) have loved you. ~ John 13:34

A - Do you really know how to love others the way Jesus instructed? What's love got to do with it anyway? Everything! It's the first step in sharing your purpose. It's a command, not a suggestion, from God. It's the way we represent Him to others and it's what others look for in us!

According to Matthew 22:37-39, the second greatest commandment, after loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, is to love your neighbor as yourself. Romans 13:9b says that all commandments are summed up in one rule: love your neighbor as yourself.

Based on these Scriptures, what is the order we are to love? If you were brought up in the church, you probably learned a song as a child - Jesus, Others, You (JOY). You were taught that you needed to give your all in helping, serving and ministering to others...regardless of the cost. Yes, God does want you to help, serve and minister, but if you don't love yourself first, you have no foundation on which to build love for your neighbor. God doesn't expect you to hate yourself and love your neighbor.

What does it mean to "love yourself"? I can tell you what it doesn't mean. It's not a prideful or conceited self-love. It's not an attitude of "I'm better than you because I....." Loving yourself is acknowledging that God made you just the way you are and that His love for you is so great He sent His only Son to die on the cross in your place. It is knowing that you are valuable; a useful vessel that He wants to work through. Until you love yourself, you cannot love others as Christ loves them. You can talk about His love. You can tell them about His plan of salvation, but you can't truly love them with a heartfelt love.

Loving ourselves and others requires an investment. It doesn't always come easy. Some people make it very difficult to love! Are you willing to do what it takes to get to this point? When you focus on loving as Jesus loves, an amazing cycle is set in motion. Your love for Him grows (greatest commandment - Matthew 22:37). Then as you develop a healthy love for yourself (2nd greatest commandment - Matthew 22: 39), you become a bridge to Jesus for those you love (your neighbor).

P - Read I Corinthians 13:4-8. This explains how you are to love everyone! Ask God to show you what you struggle with (if in case you didn't already know!) Pick one attribute to really focus on this week. Ask Him to help you accept His never-ending love, honestly love yourself and to willingly share your purposes by loving others as He loved us.

"When you fail to love yourself, you fail to give God credit for what He has done in you and for you." ~ Tom Paterson

Next Time - Influencing Others