Day 12 - Love First: Benefits

Love First: Benefits

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8

Persistence pays off. Haven’t you found that to be true? Reportedly, Thomas Edison failed at attempts to make a light bulb 10,000 times (although some sources say “only” 3,000 times). When asked about his failed attempts, his response was that he didn’t consider them to be failures. He said he had eliminated thousands of ways a light bulb wouldn’t work. Great attitude.

So far in this guide, we have looked at some challenges to living our lives Love First. We have also looked at changes that we may need to make in order to meet those challenges. Some compelling reasons to make needed changes are found in our responses to these questions:

- If I live in such a way that makes it difficult to live as a Christian (or makes it difficult for the people around me to live as Christians), do I want to change?

- How do I want or need to change?

- Am I willing to change?

- Is sharing my faith a high enough value to make a change?

Quite frankly, when most of us consider changing to a Love First lifestyle, we wonder how it will benefit our lives. Is there a reward for this type of lifestyle change? Let’s think it through. When I lead and respond with a Love First approach, I receive the blessing of knowing that what I’m doing is the right thing. I realize that I am living God’s vision for his children, rooted in Love First. It makes us feel good to do something good for someone else, right? So then, what about those who are on the receiving end of our Love First actions? They will perceive that someone cares about them. They will perceive that we think they have value. There will be some who “pay it forward” by choosing a Love First approach to someone else.

It wouldn’t take very many people “paying it forward” before the neighborhood or community would start to change, one person at a time. If people in the community begin choosing Love First, it will make a difference in our congregations, and we’ll be more consistent in choosing to Love First with our Christian brothers and sisters. One church at a time, we can make a difference in our responses to people in our cities, states, countries, and mankind in general. That all makes a difference to God. He sees his creation choosing to live under his vision rooted in Love First.

Your Mission
Make this a “count your blessings” day. Thank each person in your family (close friends, too, if your family isn’t around) for a specific blessing they bring to your life.