1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that everything we do should be done with the motive of glorifying God, and those acts should demonstrate our love for God and others. When we display loving acts we do indeed demonstrate to the world the glory of God. Often our problem is not that we don’t want to be loving toward others, it is that we don’t know how to do it. Let me give you three things to evaluate:
1. Recognize them as a person – They have a name, a life, and a purpose in this world. They are individuals created in the image and likeness of God and as such they have value and are important no matter who they are or what they are doing.
2. Give them proper place in our lives – The relationship that I have with them, will determine what that proper place is. This may vary because of their role in our lives, but we are responsible to be consistent in this no matter how we may “feel” about that role. All our relationships are based on God’s sovereign design and we are to recognize that God has put people into our lives to mold us into the image of Christ.
3. Do what is right by them – Demonstrate our love by our actions, not by our words only. Our responsibility is to treat people with the respect that they deserve because of the place God has given them in our lives. Our actions, attitudes, and words, are to be controlled by what the Word of God says we are to say and do, not by what we “feel” like saying or doing at the moment.
My friends we need to remember that the world does not revolve around us, it revolves around the Lord who made the heavens and the earth. Do the hard thing, Love God, and Love others!