Daily Delight
When we were born again, we were called to love one another. God says, “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34, ESV). Before I became a Christian, I had a hard time with relationships. I’ve always been an introvert, and I’ll never be the social butterfly described as “the girl who is friends with everybody.” I value fewer, deeper relationships over many, superficial relationships. Instead of wearing my heart on my sleeve, I tend to only reveal my emotions and authentic self to those in my close friend circle. Now, it’s great to have these friendships in our lives, and I even think it’s necessary. God said from the beginning, “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18, NIV).
We need close friends in our lives who are going after the same things and running the same race. But what about the people in our lives that aren’t so easy to love? What about the people who are different from us and who we butt heads with? What about the people who demand more of us than we would like to give, and take up our beloved personal time? I believe that we are called to love people freely and without limits, and not just save it for those in our close friend circle. Jesus said to His disciples, “freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8, NIV). We have been given everything that we need and all that’s asked of us is that we receive it and give it freely to others. God loves us with an unconditional and intentional love, and when we receive that love from Him and receive what He did for us, it’s easy for us to give that same love freely to others. I want to encourage you to branch out of your close friend circle and freely love those you wouldn’t normally give your time to. Encourage them, take them out for coffee, do something nice for them, etc.
Be generous with your time, and be selfless, for it is much better to give than it is to receive.
About the Author
Tatiana Jaeger
Tatiana is a 23-year-old idealist living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is a lover of all things creative, and would happily spend the rest of her days learning more about the heart of the Father through what he has revealed to us in creation. She loves deep conversations and connecting with people in a real and authentic way, and her heart is to break through the surface level to find the gold in people. You can usually find her outside on a sunny day, going on long hikes in nature, or taking a drive around the city while singing along to her favorite album of the week on repeat.