Batiste Ministries
"Love Is Your Greatest Gift"
Love Thy Neighbor
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:20, KJV)
In this devotional, I would like to share a story about my father, Lionel Batiste, Jr., the Bodhisattva or enlightened one. Shortly after my father’s ascension, a man from the neighborhood came to sit with the family. A little less than a year ago, this particular neighbor lost everything when his house caught on fire and burned to the ground. As this neighbor stood in front of the charred debris, my father immediately began gathering a care package. My father approached the neighbor, and presented him with clothes from his own closet, bags of food from his pantry and cash from his wallet. He then told the neighbor, “Take it. This is not the time to be prideful.”
This story is a true example of how “love” looks when we are committed. Embodying the characteristics of 1st Corinthians 13 would spread kindness, compassion, healing, deliverance, and comfort to the world. Love is selfless and does not need recognition or praise to validate acts of compassion. For instance, whenever we talked about the unfortunate fire at the neighbors’ house, my father never mentioned his loving contributions to meet their needs.
If everyone in the world “loved” his proverbial neighbor in this way, then we could truly experience God’s kingdom on earth. Jesus said, “Thine will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” God desires for His children to experience righteousness, joy, and peace on the earth; and not only when we get to heaven. The pathway to that place is “love.” We become conduits of God’s healing presence through “love” and extend the opportunity of experiencing the fruits of the Spirit. Love, will heal the nations, because it is the only thing that threatens selfishness, hate, and greed.
In closing, as my earthly Father has shown me, there is an opportunity to “love” every day. Pray that God reveals where your “love” is needed; it may be a neighbor down the street or on the other side of the globe. Just answer that call with the desire to do God’s will in the earth as it is in Heaven, and remember, we Love God by obeying His Ten Commandments and we Love others by becoming 1 Corinthians 13.
Lyndon J. Batiste
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13).
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Batiste Ministries Inc.
Email: info@batisteministries.org
Website: WWW.BATISTEMINISTRIES.ORG
Location: P.O. Box 961986 Riverdale, GA 30296
Phone: 404-271-0740