Walk in Love

There is nothing quite like an outing to the movie theater to watch a love story unfold! Popcorn in hand, the story plays out on the big screen, and then, everyone lives happily ever after! The warm fuzzy emotions such stories generate can leave us looking for our own true love story. But is it true, and is it really love? What does real love actually look like, and how can it be a part of our story?

This passage in Ephesians points us to the answer. The love that Jesus Christ shows us is based on sacrifice. The pinnacle of this sacrificial love is how He gave His very life for us on the cross so that we may live in a relationship with the Almighty God. With Paul’s instruction to walk in love, we, too, are to live with a sacrificial love. A love that cares for others when it is inconvenient to do so. A love that forgives and restores many times over. A love that is steadfast and longsuffering. A love that shows up when it is difficult to do so. The very same love that Christ has shown us is the love we are to imitate. This is real love.

Let’s be honest, it is easier to walk in this sort of love when people are pleasant and agreeable or when life is going the way you would like it to go. Walking in love with sacrificial love means showing love in our attitude and actions when life is not going our way or even when we deem someone undeserving. The love of Jesus did not show up for certain people; He showed up for all people. His love is life-changing for everyone who encounters Him.

This is the type of love that we are to strive for, as we walk with Jesus. We use this love as a filter for how we speak, think, and approach each day. When we learn to walk in love as Jesus first loved us, we begin to live a life that God will use to impact His Kingdom. This kind of sacrificial love can transform our families, jobs, and relationships, and most importantly, it will transform us! A life spent walking in love is a life full of joy, contentment, and purpose. This is where true love can be found!

Reflect & Pray

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the true love that is found in Jesus. Teach me what sacrificial love looks like in my own life. Show me how I can love the people around me in a way that imitates Christ well and brings honor to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.