Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily DevotionalSample

Jesus Is Our Example

Love is something that can be seen. It is seen in the fruit of the Spirit working in our lives, in our behavior and how we treat people. Love has many facets, or different ways we can see it. For example, when a diamond ring is held up to the light, it can sparkle in various ways depending on which way it is turned in the light. I believe love also sparkles in different ways depending on how we look at it.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us examples of the many facets of love:

Love endures long, it has the ability to put up with stuff for a long time.
Love is never envious, it doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love is not boastful or vainglorious, it doesn't call attention to itself.
Love is not conceited or rude.
Love doesn't insist on its own way.
Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong.
Love never gives up!

These are just a few ways we're supposed to love others...and it's also the way God loves us. First John 4:8 says that "God is love." He loves us and has saved us, so now we can share His love with others.

To imitate God, we have to look at Jesus, a perfect representation of God who lived out all of the descriptions of love in 1 Corinthians 13. He always acted in love in every situation, even when people came against Him.

Colossians 3:12-14 says to "clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own chosen ones.... And [put on] love".... Like Jesus, let's clothe ourselves in love and choose to follow His example, bringing honor and glory to God.

Prayer Starter: God, You have shown me what love is like by loving me first. Help me to follow the example of Jesus and live out all the facets of love in my day-to-day life.