Fruit of the Spirit
Love
Choosing the good of others, as God has loved you.
What this is
In the Bible, love is mainly a choice: seeking another person's good, even when it costs you. It is patient, kind and keeps no record of wrongs.
Love tells the truth, sets boundaries and sometimes says no. It doesn't earn God's favour: we love because He first loved us.
You can't produce this love by trying harder. God pours it into your heart through the Holy Spirit. Stay close to Him and act on it, one choice at a time.
In Jesus
The night before He died, Jesus knew Judas would betray Him and Peter would deny Him. He still knelt and washed their feet, loving them to the end (John 13:1-5).
When it's missing
coldness, using people, keeping score
My verses
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
We love because He first loved us.
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Where to next
- Love in action todayDo something practical for one person today without being asked: a meal, a lift, a job.
- Drop one record of wrongsThink of a hurt you keep bringing up, and decide before God to let it go.
- Pray for someone hardPray by name for someone you find hard to love, every day this week.
- Receive God's love firstRead 1 John 4:9-11 slowly. Thank God for His love before you try to love others.
Tested most in
Pray
Father, You loved me first. Pour Your love into my heart by Your Spirit, so I can love others in action and truth, not just in words.