I have been pondering quite a bit lately on the importance of love. It is something that is pretty easy for me to do, most of the time. And that's the problem I am facing. Most of the time is not enough. We are taught in the scriptures that ... "God is love" ... a phrase I have heard over and over throughout my life.
I have never doubted this sentiment, but I have also never really pondered it's significance. Reading over the scriptures provided a great deal of understanding:
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
(1 Johns 4: 7-8)
Very simple to understand, and very profound. Simply stated, if I am have love for someone, I am doing as God would want me to do. If I don't have love for someone, than I am very far away from where God would want me to be.
We are taught that the first great commandment (of ALL the commandments) is to love God. And the second great commandment (of ALL the commandments) is to love our neighbor as ourselves. And from these two commandments hang ALL of the other commandments. It is all based on love. Everything.
As I thought about the significance of love in my life, I had a very strong image come to mind. There will come a day when I will have to stand before the Lord and account for every person I didn't love. Every single one. The Lord did not ask me to love most people, He commanded me to love everyone. I am sure I would be able to come up with all sorts of justifications and excuses for why there were certain people that I couldn't bring myself to love. But there is no addendum to the commandment starting with the word "except" ... it is nowhere to be found.
If Jesus could look, with love, upon those who were crucifying Him, how can I consider myself to be exempt from loving certain individuals. I cannot. It isn't part of the plan. Love truly is the one thing we can do that will always put our will in line with God's will. If there is sincere, God-like love in our hearts, all that we say and do will be good. When love slips out of us a bit, that is when our thoughts and actions start to slip.
I was blessed to have all of this reaffirmed to me today in Sacrament Meeting. As we listened to the wisdom of a wonderful man who I have been blessed to know for years, he emphasized that love is the principle characteristic we need to have in our lives. He referred to one of Elder Uchtdorf's talk from the October 2009 General Conference. He stated:
"Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.
"When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden."
I think that sums up so well all of the things that have been fluttering around in my head and heart over the past few months. I am focusing my efforts on love now. When I look at someone, I have made it a goal to immediately think to myself, "I love you". I am working on implementing the beautiful advice given by Elder Marvin J. Ashton about acting with charity. His words were life-changing to me and I hope to continue to remember these words throughout the course of my life. He said:
"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other."
I am making a plan now to improve my capacity and ability to love. It will be my focus for this next year, I will seek opportunities to practice, I will pray like I have never prayed before, I will study the scriptures for perfect examples, I will search words of the prophets and fill my desk with their gentle reminders.
And, hopefully, I will become a more loving person to ALL of my brothers and sisters.
No exceptions.
