There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him

"There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him." 

William Law

February is a month that we are bombarded by love--every time you enter a store there are tons of pink hearts, roses and chocolate everywhere.  Commercials abound trying to sell you gifts, tempt you to dine at restaurants and convince you that a diamond necklace is the perfect gift.

Have you ever thought about loving someone that drives you crazy?  Someone who makes your life harder?  Someone who is needy?  Someone who is hard to love?

Suddenly the month of love seems more like a challenge, huh?

So here's the Love Month Challenge: think of a person in your life that tests your limits and commit to pray for them.  Every day.  For a month.  See if God does not soften your heart and help you to find a characteristic about them that helps you learn to appreciate them--I have a hunch you will be able to find something positive about him or her.  We are all image bearers of Christ.  We are all sinful, too, which complicates relationships and interactions.  It can be hard to love someone you feel has wronged you.  I fight the impulse to write someone off just because he or she wronged me.  Instead, I try to remember God's grace and the way that he stepped in, rescued me, and was not only nice to be but gave his life for me.  Eek, that's a humbling thought.


"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
John 15:13


Let's make February a month that we lay down our lives for everyone--no matter how they treat us in return.