And do everything with love. 

1 Corinthians 16:14

In the 1980s, I was working on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as the Director of College Ministries. My wife and I lived in a small apartment that had no room for a dedicated place of study. My office at church was in the youth ministry area, a bustling location that did not encourage quiet reflection. So I set up a small study in the secluded upstairs of my grandparents' home, which was about a twenty-minute drive from the church. On Thursdays, I would hide away in my study, reading, praying, and preparing my lessons. My grandparents would not interrupt me, though we would share lunch together. When it was time for me to head for home, my grandmother would always tell me that she loved me, finishing with a piece of sound advice: "Drive safely!"

As the Apostle Paul draws to a close his letter to the Corinthian Christians, he doles out bits of advice, not unlike my grandmother: "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love" (16:13-14). That last phrase underscores one of the main themes of the whole letter. When it comes to living the Christian life, we should "do everything with love."

In fact, the Greek original of verse 14 could be translated: "Let everything that is yours be in love." Yes, this includes our actions, but also our thoughts and feelings, our desires and dreams. Self-giving, Christ-like love for others should permeate our lives, guiding us in everything.

First Corinthians 16:14 offers a good rule of thumb for godly living: Do everything in love. Whether we're at work or at home, whether we're the CEO or the lowest person on the corporate ladder, whether we're Democrats or Republicans, we should allow the love of Christ to guide us, fill us, and use us. No matter the context, we will always be well-served to ask ourselves: What would be the truly loving thing to do here?

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: In which settings of life do you find it not intuitive to be loving? If you were to do everything with love, what might you do differently today?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for this simple summary of Christian living: Do everything with love! By your Spirit, emblazon this command in my mind and heart. Help me to remember to choose love above all else.

May love guide, not just my actions, but my thoughts and feelings. May your love inhabit my dreams and visions. May it heal and motivate my heart.

Even as you have loved me beyond measure, may I love others generously, freely, and consistently. Help me especially, Lord, to love those I find difficult to love. Spur me on to care for them and to serve them.

All praise be to you, God of love. Amen.