By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

I've been thinking a lot about Christian love lately. It's something that I've been both grateful for and convicted about many times over the past several days.

The thankful side first, though... Lately, I've been dealing with a lot of "stuff." But one of my greatest joys has been being surrounded by the body of Christ, having my brothers and sisters speak encouragement into my life. Nothing makes bad days seem better than a hug and a reminder that God has not let go of me and is carrying me through. It's such a gift from God to be surrounded by the ones who share my love for Him.

But then, there is the conviction part. I read this quote a while back in the book When God Writes Your Love Story. These words were spoken by a Romanian prison guard whose goal was to keep Christianity from spreading in his USSR era prison.

If we cut off their tongues and forbid the Christians speech, they love with their hands, with their feet, and with their eyes, they love always and everywhere until their last respiration. Does anybody know how to take out the power of love from these stupid Christians?

This quote definitely caused my heart to break with conviction. How many times do I speak love without living it? How often does someone need just a hug or a helping hand, and in my life's busyness, I miss their needs, and fail to live a life filled with Christ's love and kindness. How many times do my brothers and sisters just need somone to listen to them and I miss the cries of their actions and words?

I pray that God will build me up in my love for others. How cool would it be to love in such a way that those who wish to see Christ's name stamped out would be frustrated by the way we spread it with love?!

I would love nothing more than to see the church at large so overflow with the love of Christ that we could lose forever our abilities to speak, and they would still know us by our love.

But to those of you who have shown me that very real, there-when-I-need-you kind of love, you will never know how much your love and kindness has meant to me. As for those to whom I've not shown this kind of love, I am truly sorry, and pray that I will have the chance to try again and show you love in a real, here for you way.

Anyway... Just a few thoughts I had.