Day 6

Day 6
Friday, December 3

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

Reflection:
In a world where it is all too easy to divide one another based on culture, wealth, religion, or political affiliation, Paul prays that the love we feel for one another would overflow. Not just that it is “enough” or even “sufficient”, but that it literally flows out of us in abundance.

Of course, it’s easy for my love for my partner and children to overflow. My love overflows for *most* of my friends and extended family (hey, we’ve all got THAT weird cousin). But, what about that neighbor I butt heads with, or the difficult coworker, or even the weird cousin? I often consider myself the bigger person by simply tolerating them, holding my tongue, and being polite to them. But, God doesn’t just tolerate me. His love for me overflows. Everyday we fall short of the example Jesus set for us, but today may we strive for our love of one another to overflow.

Prayer:
God, thank you for the radical, unconditional love that you show us each and everyday. Some people in our lives are easier to love than others. Help us learn to love everyone in our lives as well as you love us, so that our love for each other might overflow. Amen.

Reflection by Amy Sanders