Love is Devoted to Others
What does devotion mean to you?
Verse of the Day
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Today’s Devotional
Devotion is a word I don’t use much. I actually read an obituary today that described the man who died as a “devoted husband and father”. It seems to me that obituaries and headstones are where the word “devotion” gets the most usage. Why is that?
Webster’s defines devotion as “the state or act of being ardently dedicated and loyal”. Does that describe how I love the people God puts in my path? Do I give up weekends to feed the homeless? Do I change my plans to help someone in need? Do I think about the needs of others without first weighing what I need? Do I make people feel welcome at church (or anywhere else) or do I seek out the people that I already know that I like? Am I generous with my time, money, words, attention and affection? Am I quick to praise…or to criticize and correct?
When I think of devotion I think of an elderly man caring for his sick wife. He bathes her and feeds her and reads her favorite book out loud. He does whatever he can to make her more comfortable and feel safe and loved.
I pray that I would be that devoted in my love for others. Acting in a way that their needs come before my own. Always striving for others to feel safe and loved. Doing for others what I think THEY want and need, not what I think they should want or need. I must humbly admit that many times my love and actions are weighed against what I need and how much (or how little) I am willing to give.
The beauty of our God is that I can bring these less-than-ideal parts of myself to Him and allow Him to fix them. I can ask for help to be devoted to others. I can ask to be taught how to honor others above my own wants and needs. God loves each of us enough to teach us how to carry out the directives of this verse.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What does devotion mean to you?
How can you be devoted in your actions to someone today?
How can you honor someone above yourself?
Pray for the strength to carry out those actions today!