This is Joy

Welcome to Faith Connections Friday!

Joy: Jesus – Others – You

It’s a simple acrostic and a powerful way to remember our priorities when loving God and others. Loving God is our first our priority. Our love for God overflows into our love for others. Our love for God and others represents and increases our love for ourselves.

Jesus recognizes the first greatest commandment in Scripture is loving Him with our entire being (Deuteronomy 4:6-9; Mark 12:29-31). That means every part. Mind, will, emotions, physical, energy—everything. We love Him by reading or hearing His Word. We love Him by spending time with Him in prayer. As we get to know Him and His character, we grow in our love for Him. And because we love Him, we willingly obey Him.

Jesus recognizes the second greatest commandment in Scripture is loving others as we love ourselves. This can be more challenging. How can I love someone when I do not even love myself?

Though we may not like the way we look in the mirror, we do love ourselves to a point. We love ourselves when we care for our bodies by practicing good hygiene, a healthy diet, and regular exercise. Even dressing for the day can lift your countenance. We love ourselves when we learn new things. We love ourselves when we pursue excellence. We love ourselves as we exhibit character, integrity, and love.

Loving others is an overflow from our love for God. We love ourselves when we go to church for encouragement and community. We bless others! We love ourselves when we take time to meet with a friend who is struggling and just needs to talk. When we are purposefully kind and thoughtful to others, our actions and words show we value our character. We love ourselves when we serve others. Just a simple wave, a smile, or a kind greeting can improve your mindset.

Faith Connections Challenge: What are some ways you will increase and show your love to God? Notice how your words and actions encourage others. Love and be loved! This is JOY!