Spend Yourself

I like to workout and sometimes during the summer, I lift weights in my garage.  I have a barbell set, a couple of benches, and a set of dumbbells from 5 to 40 pounds so I can usually get in a pretty good workout with the equipment I have.  The problem is the fact that everything is in the garage where in Florida the temperature gets well into the 90’s in the summer.  Needless to say, after about 45-60 minutes of lifting, I’m completely exhausted from giving it my all.

In a way, love, if done correctly, gives all too.  True, authentic love gives everything!  You empty yourself for someone else and for God.  That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Jesus came to love like this and we should do the same for others.

Fake love holds back.  It’s conditional and hopes to receive in return.  Selfish love costs very little and only slightly blesses the one who receives it.  But true love requires you to completely spend yourself. In all circumstances it is patient and kind, it always protects and trusts (1 Corinthians 13:4,7).  If we are to perfectly follow God, we must love as he loved, spending ourselves in the process.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

-Joe