Showing God’s Love by Putting Others First
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you
must love one another.” - John 13:34
Despite his busy schedule, Abraham Lincoln often
visited wounded Civil War soldiers in hospitals across the Union. On one
occasion, he walked in to see a man who was near death. “Is there anything I
can do for you?” asked the President.
“Please write a letter to my mother,” the young man
replied. Unrecognized by the soldier, the President sat down and transcribed
exactly what the soldier told him to write:
“My Dearest Mother, I was badly hurt while doing my duty, and I won’t
recover. Don’t sorrow too much for me. May God bless you and Father. Kiss Mary
and John for me.”
The young soldier was too weak to continue, so
Lincoln signed the letter for him and then added this postscript: “Written for
your son by Abraham Lincoln.”
Very often in life, Christians are called to do
things outside of their normal roles in order to show kindness to a person in
need. Maybe that means stopping your daily routine to help a friend who is in
need. Or maybe it’s pulling your car over to help change a tire for a complete
stranger.
Don’t let your role or status limit the love you
show for others. The greatest love you can give is a love that’s shown even
when it isn’t convenient. And when you do, you’ll receive the remarkable
blessing that comes with following Christ’s example of putting others first!
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to show you opportunities where you can
step out of your daily routine to show the love of Christ to others.