Love grows all the time

Love is not something static, permanent and stationary, but love is growth and development. We begin to love by taking some small steps to express love. If love gets nourishment it will grow strong and warm. As we give love room, we will make progress in showing others that we value them, love them and want to be good and kind to them.

Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. (1 Thessalonians. 4:9-10)

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. (2 Thessalonians. 1:3)

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. (Philippians. 1:9)

As he has done to us

As I have loved you, so should you love one another, Jesus said. With these words he shows us that he is love’s source and its goal. All that he has done to us, we shall do to one another. As we learn to know Jesus better and we see all that he has done for us, we will understand how we can show love to our brothers and sisters in the faith.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians. 3:12-14)

Exercise:

Read Col.3:12-14 once more (see above).

In what ways have you practised what these verses are speaking about?

In what way can you improve yourself in this area of expressing love?

Make a plan for the next few days and for the rest of your life!

Continue to memorise the previous Bible verses and add this one to your list:

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us - and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. (1.John 3:16)