About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 (HCSB)
I have a friend who had a wonderful experience that he will never forget. Every morning, on his way to work, he always comes across a woman sitting at the same place; on a bench, in front of a restaurant. At first glance, she looks like a beggar who occupies a strategic position to ask for alms. However, he never saw her ask anything from passers-by.
One weekend, my friend decided to go talk to this woman to find out why she always sat at the same place. Sitting next to the woman, he greeted her and asked her the question that was bothering him. That day, he got the answer that changed his life. The woman replied that she was a widow and lived alone with her two daughters. If she sits down every morning in front of the restaurant it is to relieve her loneliness and pain by greeting the customers who respond with a smile accompanied by a word of love.
This loving gesture from my friend helped me understand that sometimes we need to see others in their situation and show them our love. It doesn't take much, just a word of comfort and a gesture of affection. This is the kind of love God expresses to us when He looks at us through our difficulties. When He sees us suffering, He strengthens and encourages us. Through His gesture, He teaches us to love others and to love them as they are. I want to encourage you to do the same because there may be someone around you who needs a loving gesture from you.
May the grace and peace of God be with you all.