Seek to Understand

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded and show sympathy, love, compassion, and humility to and for each other. – (1 Peter 3:8, VOICE)

In order to live together in peace, we must seek to understand one another and love each other like family. To accomplish this requires compassion, humility and kindness. It does not mean we have to share the same opinions on everything or like all of the same thing, but rather it is through mutual love and respect that we may live peaceably with the people around us throughout each new day. The challenge in this is that it only works if all are striving for the same end goal – to love and care for one another like family. I have been blessed to find myself in community at work, church, with friends, and actual family, where care for each other is valued over political, religious, and world views. If people are our priority, peace falls into place. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His love, and to show us how to best love those around us with compassion and humility, ever seeking to understand each other in love.

O Lord, please lead us,

To love as You love;

With kindness and grace,

Lifting others up.

Help us be humble,

Keep others in mind;

Seek understanding,

And always be kind.

With true compassion,

Let’s listen and learn;

Value each other,

In love, choose affirm.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be compassionate and kind, humble and loving, seeking to live at peace with everyone. Thank You that You remind us how to live together like family. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked compassion or humility, and did not seek to understand or to pursue peace. Show us how to love one another as sisters and brothers, for You love us perfectly and provide all that we need to love and live at peace with each other. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to understand each other and live together in peace, with humility, compassion, kindness and love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5

How Love is Made Known

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, HCSB)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, ERV)

Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude or indecent – it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, VOICE)

God provides us the ultimate example of what love is and is not. We are commanded to love God and love people, and He both shows and tells us what it is to love. Patience and kindness should lead us in how we love. Jealousy, pride, unkindness, selfishness and a short temper do not help us show love. In our broken humanity, we all struggle with loving as God does in all things. All it takes is being stuck in Seattle traffic during rush hour to be reminded that we are ALL a work in progress. We have the opportunity to extend love everywhere we go and through everything we do. Imagine what the world would look like if we all sought the Lord to lead us in His love in all that we said and did? Each time that we extend patience and kindness, we are igniting a spark that can spread. For me, when I have been granted patience or kindness when I know I did not deserve it, it caused me to take pause and work to do the same in similar situations. May we ever seek the Lord in His goodness and grace to lead us in His incredible love in all things.

Lord, help us to love,

In all that we do;

Let each word and deed,

Reflect Your heart true.

Grant us Your patience,

And Your kindness too;

Lead us to love well,

As You call us to.

Help us be gracious,

Wherever we go;

May Your heart shine through,

So love is made known.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love. Thank You that You show us what love is and is not, so that we know what You are calling us to do. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked patience or kindness, the times that we have been jealous or rude or proud. Teach us to trust and follow You so that we might extend Your heart to the world through our love. Show us how to be patient and kind in each circumstance we encounter. Help us to love as You love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us in Your love in all that we say and do in every circumstance. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” – John 13:34