What a day! It's a color day today, meaning that students can wear clothes other than their uniforms and teachers can wear jeans. There's going to be Valentine's day parties at the end of the day and students are already high energy!
As I was thinking about today and what it signifies, the first thing that came to my mind was John 3:16, "For God so LOVED the world..." It's true. What greater love is there than giving your son to die so that others may be saved. It's a love that we can only try to attain fully, yet this is the love that God gives to those who believe in Christ. We don't have to DO anything! Even when we fail to love and fail to obey over and over again, God gives us his grace.
The second passage that came to mind was 1Corinthians 13. I've read this so many times, yet when I think about the way that I love, I can't help but realize how incomplete my love is... Here are my reflections in applying each of these characteristics of love to my life... I encourage you to do the same.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (ESV)
Love is patient... when the students don't listen.
Love is kind... when my friend is hurting.
Love does not envy... when I see people recently married.
Love does not boast... when others praise my work abroad, for it is only by the Lord.
Love is not arrogant... when I make a good loaf of bread.
Love is not rude... when someone takes more time than I have to tell me a story.
Love does not insist on its own way... instead of listening completely to another persons ideas.
Love is not irritable... when I haven't had much sleep.
Love is not resentful... when I don't have a car to drive and have to depend on public transportation or getting a ride with friends.
Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing... when I fail to prepare for a lesson.
Love rejoices with the truth... when a student understands what it means to share.
Love bears all things... when wedding planning becomes stressful.
Love believes all things... that despite cultural and socio-economic differences, I can build meaningful relationships with the people here.
Love hopes all things... that God can use me in powerful ways through my weaknesses.
Love endures all things... the loneliness of being miles away from those I love.
Love never ends... even when the school day's over.
I pray that I may love you all with the TRUE love of Christ.
Happy Valentine's Day!
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