Choosing to love...

Love.

I have the priviledge to love my hubby, my kids, my families and my dear friends and it comes as easily as breathing.

I have had the opportunity to love others that God has placed into my life to help, encourage and support me through different stressful, difficult and even happy times in my life. These people make me smile and I thank God for placing them in those seasons of life exactly when I needed them.
Then, there are those people in our lives that can't love back. Whether emotionally they are suffering, or their pain may be too deep or they just have no love to give.
The first two example of love are so easy. You just can't help but love. I found it interesting lately while reading, that God commands us to love.

If loving our loved ones is as simply as breathing, God is asking more from me.

If I am commanded to love, God is wanting me to love beyond the safety walls I have up. There are so many hurting people, poverty-stricken, poor choices etc, I need to love in a way that I show His amazing love and not get love back in return.
This perspective has really opened my eyes to the world around me. I would totally prefer to hide from this reality and spend my fun time with friends, my playgroups in my safety zone. That is all fine if I am getting rejuvenated, encouraged with prayer to make huge strides to love those that aren't lovable and giving them hope in their dismal view of life.
My prayer is that I can speak God's love into others...with no strings attached.