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Love is the desire and the choice to bless other people.  It is the opposite of contempt, pride, bitterness, envy, detachment, wrath, hostility, and malice.  Jesus lives in complete abandonment to love, offering Himself freely in submission to the Father and to the Spirit, and sacrificing boldly for the sake of the world.  Read Mark 10:13-21; Jesus loves children and a man torn between God and money; and Matthew 9 where Jesus is drawn to the needy, offering them tenderness and healing.

The greatest mystery of the universe is the love of God for us. (1) We are filled with wonder and awe at the discovery of love as the central fact of creation. (2) Love covers all wrongs, (3) goes beyond kindness and affection, and labors diligently to bless others. (4) In loving others, we bring them into ourselves, and they become more important to us than even our own life. (5) Love includes compassion, charity, hospitality, security, generosity, kindness, affection, friendship, selflessness, and devotion.

Compassion - to suffer with those who suffer. (6)

Charity - to help those in need. (7)

Hospitality - to make others welcome. (8)

Security - to keep others safe from harm. (9)

Generosity - to share one’s resources with others. (10)

Kindness - to act with the desires of others in mind. (11)

Affection - to enjoy the company of others. (12)

Friendship - to share life in common with others. (13)

Selflessness - to live without regard for one’s own desires. (14)

Devotion - to labor to accomplish what is best for others. (15)

Love: Enjoying God

Jesus loved His Father, and enjoyed being with Him. (16) Will we love God and enjoy His Presence? (17)

Love: Committed to the Welfare of Others

Jesus was completely committed to whatever was best for those around him; he provided mercy when mercy was needed, and brought justice when justice was required. (18) Will we do what is best for those people God has brought into our lives? (19)

Love: Self-Care

Jesus knew how to life the best life possible, He didn’t shy away from enjoying good things, and never sacrificed His own intimacy with His Father for any reason. (20) Do I take time for myself to be healthy and enjoy the blessed life with God? (21)

Love: The Present Kingdom

Jesus proclaimed and demonstrated the rule and reign of God here and now for the sake of the world. (22) Do I join with God in caring for the world I live in now; working to see the abundance of God flow to every corner of our world? (23)