Real Love

...if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.  I John 4:12

We should confidently approach the throne of grace to pray not only for ourselves but also for others.  We should purposely pray to love others as God loves us.  Are you having a hard time loving a child, a spouse, a relative, or perhaps someone with whom you work?  If so, the Beloved God's arms are open wide.  Run into them and ask Him to give you His love for others, to give you eyes to see others as He does, to give you His heart with which to love them.  (Debbie Williams; Pray with Purpose.  Live with Passion.)

Fear comes on us so subtly that we do not recognize it.  We think we are being wise, but it is in our own strength.  We lock our doors and windows at night thinking this will keep us safe.  The truth is, if someone wants to badly enough, they can easily get inside by breaking a window or lock.  Locks and windows are a deterrent and tend to make most people think twice, but the determined one who thinks nothing of human life and believes there is no true right or wrong and each individual must do what they think best has no real deterrents.  If locked doors and window truly kept us safe, there would be a lot less thievery, rape and murder in the world.  We need to recognize that while it may be prudent in today's society to lock everything while sleeping or gone, this is not what truly keeps us and our belongings safe.  It is God's protection over us that does so.
Safety is a humongous issue in each person's life.  We don't want to feel pain of any kind.  Physical pain from injury, mental pain from being humiliated in some form or other, and spiritual pain from things not going the way we had personally planned make us flinch at the idea of witnessing, let alone truly ministering to the world.  We are willing to take a chance on brothers and sisters in Christ, as they have generally felt and experienced many of the things we have and so are accepting of us even when we make errors.  The world, however, may reject us, call us names, throw punches (physical and verbal), and even kill us, so we stay away.  But will stay away, but will this protect us?
Indeed no.  We instead will be called hypocrites, self-righteous, greedy, and many other things, but somehow this doesn't affect us so badly.  They are attacking the Christian kingdom as a whole, so that makes it all right.  What would the world be like if not even one Christian walked in fear?  What if every single one of us lived to serve others?  What if we took every opportunity to testify of God's love and greatness?  That would be truly walking in love, for love casts out all fear!!  (I John 4:18)
Lord, we are weak, but You are mighty.  You have told us in Your Word that we can do all things through Christ Who gives us strength to do so.  We ask that You continue teaching us, filling us and most of all, Lord, teach us to really walk in love.