9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Phil. 1:9-11 ESV)
My beloved,
Love.
If there was only one thing I was allowed to grant you, it would be the ability to love. The possession of love. An obsession with love.
And not just a sample-size love. But a Sam’s-Club-sized love. XXL. Big and tall. Overflowing. Unstoppable. Never ending. Extravagant. Outrageous. Immeasurable. That’s my greatest dream for you. My grandest goal for people is that they become lavish lovers of people.
Used with some wisdom and insight (which, by the way, I’m also happy to send your way), the loving thing is always the most excellent thing. When in doubt, love. Show kindness. Show mercy. Forgive. Give.
Live that kind of life and I’ll be overjoyed on the day my Son returns to bring all love to its full conclusion.
If you were a plant, love would be the fruit you were made to produce. That’s why I created you. To bear the fruit of love. And when that fruit is ripe and easily accessible, everyone around you who takes a bite will shout “Hallelujah!” and “Thank God!” You see, that’s the fruit most missing in the world today. Most needed in the world today. And the people around you are so hungry for it, that when they taste it, they’ll fall down in worship.
So be present with people today. Pray with someone today. Write a card of encouragement today. Pick up the phone and call that person you’ve been meaning to call. Make that visit to the hospital. Attend the visitation service. Hug. Kiss. Stop holding that grudge. Start holding hands. And for a single blessed moment, all will become right in the world.
With love,
Father
