Hello there, tribe member! It feels so good to reach out to you once again in February, the love month! I hope your relationships and interactions are being worked on as we journey further, and I hope you are not getting tired of staying intentional and choosing the best outcomes. Just keep at it, and you’ll be happier for it. To all new and returning readers, I am so grateful for the support. Thank you for always being here!
It’s the second week of the season of love, and we are still addressing the concept of breathing in love. We opened up the chat last week on how love should be the foundation upon which our actions, inactions, and reactions are built. This implies that as a love being, there are some times that we are either expected to roll up our sleeves and get to work, or fold our arms, stand aside, and refuse to be a part of the party when it comes to living out the love life.
Today’s progress ride is channeled towards checking out some of those actions and inactions, many of which are not even new to our hearing but are yet to come into active practice. I hope that by the time you are done reading this, you will be called into a more conscious lifestyle that is borne out of genuine love for the people around you.
To start with, it might sound a bit surprising that love can demand you to fold your hands and stand aside as I mentioned earlier, especially since love has always been seen or described as involving action. To put it in another way, is it really love if people don’t see you act?
However, there is another side to the coin where you are expected not to act! In case you are wondering how it is so, I have this question for you. What would you do if you were invited to a gathering where you are expected to compromise or go against the beliefs and values that guide your healthy relationships and your love walk? Wouldn’t you rather stay far away or turn your back on such circles? Exactly, that is where the inactions come in!
There is a particular book in the Bible that spells out the attributes of love, and I believe you must have observed at one time or the other that this book talks about what love would or would not do, as well as what love is or isn’t! Talk about love being patient, kind, not being jealous, rude, or proud, not insisting on its own way, and not keeping records of wrongs, among other things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Can you now see how this amazing profile of love captures and justifies both the actions and inactions? However, it should be mentioned that whether you tend towards actions in good deeds or inactions in wrongdoings, the goal is to ensure that love is promoted. Now that we have been able to establish that extra layer of the foundation, I believe that we can make progress.
One of the ways love is activated is in seeking peace! In your dealings with people, there will be periods where arguments, disagreements, having different views on a particular topic, and the like set in. These situations are very normal and are expected, especially since we are not the same as humans.
It is a beautiful thing that God has made us so wonderfully complex, and we can have a hundred different ideas on the same thing. However, if care is not taken, this creativity of ours can land us on the grounds of conflict with the people who matter, and it can also birth unhealthy competition and rivalry.
Therefore, it is essential to always put our hearts in the right place as we keep our eyes on the common goal that we’re all seeking out in these kinds of situations. When we all desire the same result but yet have different strategies on how to achieve that goal or arrive at that destination, we have to come to terms with the fact that our idea might or might not win the vote and be absolutely fine with it.
Rather than argue out our loins or try to make our way out prevail, let us recognize the inputs of other people and give them the support that is needed as we all join hands to carry out our resolution. Bear in mind that your disposition to the approach eventually tells what your true intention is.
If you are so bent on having it your way and at all costs, especially at the expense of the common good of people, then you have to check the motive backing your move. It might be anything else, but most likely not love!
Still addressing seeking peace, love sits at the cutting edge of making things right and getting things better. Have you ever been in a room where there’s a heated argument going on? How exactly do you react in such rooms? Are you the one that runs from pillar to post picking out ‘weapons’ or defence shields for the two parties?🌚 I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist inserting that emoji.
Are you that person who encourages the use of foul expressions and cheers them on? Or do you try all you can to ensure that the fire is quenched in time before things get out of hand? Some people get excited at the sight of quarrels, arguments, or problems, while others get disturbed and just want the issue to be resolved immediately after it comes up. What side are you lying on?
There are times when we have to make corrections, but this correction should stem from the place of love! Through this means, love aims to convict them of their wrongdoing, build a better character that is worthy of note, and encourage them to make better choices. Love does not seek to destroy anyone!
Sometimes, it is not that people dislike criticism or correction in itself, however, the way that the message is passed across matters to people. Therefore, in a bid to maintain order and hand down the right way of doing things, ensure that bitterness or an already-existing tinge of anger is not the one fueling your zeal. In all your corrections, let love lead!
In the same vein, love takes corrections in good faith! To be honest, it is not easy to be at the centre of lashes or sometimes, pointed fingers and judgmental looks. In moments like this, it takes paying attention to the voice of love in you, which prompts you to admit your faults, apologize as required, and make a commitment to do better going forward.
Often, this is the point where we make mistakes. We are so fixated on the idea of how perfect we believe we are, and this mindset makes it difficult for us to accept it when people are trying to tell us that we are not doing things the right way. However, the voice of love rings louder in our minds, reminding us that what we do sometimes has a bigger effect on other people apart from ourselves.
Can I chip in something that love will not or does not do? Love does not give up! No, not on the growth and development of those you call your own! You must be committed to their progress, and your actions should speak volumes about that commitment. When you see them going south, do you call them to order or do you just allow them to do as they please until the situation turns out to be irredeemable?
As someone who is given to living the love life, you have to be consistently available both when things are rosy and when the situation does not look so good. It shouldn’t be in your nature to be available for people when they are going through the best moments in their lives and then go missing or start avoiding their calls when they need you in their downtimes. Love is always present, both during the “Hosanna” and “Crucify Him” shouts! It stands the test of time!
Love is committed to healing wounds and not poking at the scars that are left. As a love being, you should not be the one to sit at the helm of reminding people about where they are coming from or who they used to be. If at all there’s a reason to remember the past, it should be a call for sincere gratitude in which the person can acknowledge how far they have come and not feel hurt.
Even when your heart is in the right place and you don’t mean any harm, you still have to watch your words and ensure that you are not taking this person back to the point of regret. Let your words and actions express your true motive, which should always be genuine.
Another thing that is not in love’s DNA is to seek revenge or pay people back in their own coin. It might sound like a good plan to do exactly what someone has done to you to the person or other people in return, but that is not love’s way. Yes, there was a problem when the person put up that show, but right now, are you trying to contribute to the problem or be a solution provider through your deeds?
You had tried to climb up a ladder in the past, and this ladder in context night carry different meanings to you as you read. At your first attempt, the person above suddenly pushed you down or removed the ladder altogether, making it impossible to take that chance. However, heaven has eventually smiled down on you and you’re at the top of the ladder!
Now, are you waiting for the day the person that wronged you or another person will come around seeking help and you will throw their request on their faces, or will you be that kind-hearted and love-guided human that will reach out your hand as a way to support as they take gentle strides up the ladder?
These are questions that demand that you take a seat and truly look inward to see how what you have or have not been doing has impacted people. Love is a decision, and it involves commitment! Therefore, let it be in your regular commitments to evaluate yourself and make amends where necessary.
I have one more note to write to you about the concept of friendships, and that will be coming up next week. While we wait for that, kindly drop a comment on what you picked from this post and what you will do better from now on. Remember to click on the icons above to follow our social media handles. Enjoy the rest of your week!💫
