Love Others for God’s Sake
There's a friend of mine, this lady, who had a lot of unfair things happen to her when she was growing up. As an adult, her first marriage didn't last. She got married a second time, and because of all the hurt she was carrying, she made her second husband's life completely miserable. She wasn't trying to, but she was just so broken and messed up because of all she'd been through in her life. She couldn't trust anybody. She was very negative, critical, and hard to get along with. Her husband tells how he wanted to leave her thousands of times, and in the natural, he had every right to walk away. Nobody would have blamed him. But down deep inside, he knew he was supposed to stay with her. It was the most difficult thing he had ever done. Month after month, even year after year, he was uncomfortable. It wasn't fair, but he just kept loving and serving her. He was blooming where he was planted. He kept giving his best and was kind, forgiving, patient, and overlooked things. It seemed like it was all giving and no receiving, all sowing and no reaping. But today, it's a different story. He paid the price. He stood by her side, and now 35 years later, he's reaping great rewards. That lady, his wife, is Joyce Meyer, one of the great ministers of our time. She's not only healthy and whole, but together, they are touching countless people around the world.
Joyce and Dave are incredible people. Joyce said one time, "What if Dave would have been like my first husband and taken the easy way out? What if he had not stuck with me and paid the price?" See, sometimes God will ask us to put up with things to help another person. Where are the people who are unselfish enough to say, "God, I trust You. It's uncomfortable. It's not fair. But, it's not about what I want. It's not about my feelings. It's about what You want, God, so I'm going to love others for Your sake."
Let me tell you, God rewards people who honor Him like this. Of course I'm not talking about situations that are abusive or unsafe. I'm talking about I Corinthians 13 love—love that is patient and kind, love that keeps no record of wrongs, love that believes the best about others. This is love that changes people. When you love others this way, you are sowing into your future because God sees every unselfish act of kindness, and He will reward you in this life and eternity.
Joyce and Dave are incredible people. Joyce said one time, "What if Dave would have been like my first husband and taken the easy way out? What if he had not stuck with me and paid the price?" See, sometimes God will ask us to put up with things to help another person. Where are the people who are unselfish enough to say, "God, I trust You. It's uncomfortable. It's not fair. But, it's not about what I want. It's not about my feelings. It's about what You want, God, so I'm going to love others for Your sake."
Let me tell you, God rewards people who honor Him like this. Of course I'm not talking about situations that are abusive or unsafe. I'm talking about I Corinthians 13 love—love that is patient and kind, love that keeps no record of wrongs, love that believes the best about others. This is love that changes people. When you love others this way, you are sowing into your future because God sees every unselfish act of kindness, and He will reward you in this life and eternity.