Love One Another
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
I read an article recently about a few retired and well-off Americans who spent their retirement traveling to needy parts of the world to work as volunteers. The woman writing the article had spent two weeks at an orphanage in Romania. She devoted her time to handicapped children who were hardly ever cared for, loved, or touched. These children were abandoned, neglected, and left with no hope, and no opportunities, and no one to protect and care for them.
The habit of these Americans to go over and volunteer their time with these orphaned children caught the eye of adoption agencies who were looking for people to adopt these children. What stood out to them was that these were individuals who cared for the children and were willing to do whatever it took to empower them, encourage them, and inspire them.
The unconditional love they showed the children had the effect of empowering these kids, giving them a sense of life that they did not have before, and made many of them prime candidates for adoption.
This story was so challenging and convicting to me because it reminded me of the importance of reaching out to those who need hope, help, and encouragement. You never know how your kindness and compassion could lift up and empower someone else. After all, one of the greatest commandments Jesus ever gave us was to love one another. So let’s take that commandment to heart and reach out to someone who could use some love today.
I read an article recently about a few retired and well-off Americans who spent their retirement traveling to needy parts of the world to work as volunteers. The woman writing the article had spent two weeks at an orphanage in Romania. She devoted her time to handicapped children who were hardly ever cared for, loved, or touched. These children were abandoned, neglected, and left with no hope, and no opportunities, and no one to protect and care for them.
The habit of these Americans to go over and volunteer their time with these orphaned children caught the eye of adoption agencies who were looking for people to adopt these children. What stood out to them was that these were individuals who cared for the children and were willing to do whatever it took to empower them, encourage them, and inspire them.
The unconditional love they showed the children had the effect of empowering these kids, giving them a sense of life that they did not have before, and made many of them prime candidates for adoption.
This story was so challenging and convicting to me because it reminded me of the importance of reaching out to those who need hope, help, and encouragement. You never know how your kindness and compassion could lift up and empower someone else. After all, one of the greatest commandments Jesus ever gave us was to love one another. So let’s take that commandment to heart and reach out to someone who could use some love today.
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