What The World Desperately Needs Right Now

I couldn’t sleep the night before last. Swirling around my brain were the day’s headlines, rumors of local lootings and home invasions, and thoughts of how this world appears to be spiraling out of control. Worry, despair, and discouragement soon followed. I prayed for peace. I prayed for Jesus to be near. And I prayed for what the world desperately needs right now.

I prayed for love.

Lord, help us to love. Help me to love.

This season of living in a pandemic and the circumstances arising from George Floyd’s death has awakened many personal truths within me. One being I could love better. Yes, I could do better in the area of loving others. Especially with those who are different than me. Let me clarify, I love others, no matter the skin color. But, do I always show that love? Do I always love how Jesus loves? And, do I do everything in love?

Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14 NIV

I’ll answer that for you. No. I don’t. I could do better.

What the world desperately needs now is this 4-letter word.

LOVE.

And, friend, it starts with you and me. If you’ve tried to love others well on your own, you know full well how hard it is to do. For me it’s nearly impossible, no matter how hard I try. I’ve proven I can’t do it on my own. I can love well for awhile, but in my own strength, I fail. But, when I rely on Jesus’ love, well, everything changes. The thing is, when we have Jesus’ love radiating through us by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can love with His love. Because He is love.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

1 John 4:16 NLT

Because He is love:

We can love every single person we meet on the street or on the news.
We can love the unlovely.
You and I can love those who annoy us.
We can love those who have hurt us, who have betrayed us, who have disowned us.
We can love our enemies and those who persecute us.
Yes, we can even love those who are different than us, who belong to a different political party, and who believe something different.
We can love people because God loves them and created them, just like He loves us and created us.
We can love because God says that’s what His children do.

So I give you a new command: Love each other deeply and fully. Remember the ways that I have loved you, and demonstrate your love for others in those same ways. Everyone will know you as My followers if you demonstrate your love to others.

John 13:34-35 VOICE

Yes, the world desperately needs love.

And that’s what you and I can give it.

At the grocery store. On the highway. On social media. In our prayers. In our words. Through our actions. In standing up for what’s right. In believing the best in others. Through our neighborhoods. In the office. In our homes.

Let’s do better. You and me can make a tangible difference with our love.

Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.

1 Peter 4:8 MSG

Love each other as if your life depended on it. Through Jesus we can do this. In our own corners of the world, let’s give the world what it desperately needs. Our love.

Father God, thank you for being in control when this world appears to be spinning out of it. Nothing is beyond Your grasp, including this world, including us. Father, Your Word is packed full of love and how we are to love you and love one another. After all, You are love. But, we can’t love like Jesus loves on our own. Will You help us to make our love an action word? Will You help us love others unconditionally? Father, will You help us love like Jesus loves? Not just today, but every day. This world desperately needs You and Your love. Use us, Lord, to make a difference and point others to You. We love You so very much. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Much love to you, my friend.