“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

These words, penned by Elizabeth Barrett Browning of England in the 1800’s, have been co-opted in two different centuries now by many a love-stricken mortal in the pursuit of espousing undying love for another. Originally meant for her husband, Elizabeth’s sonnet is thought to be one of the most romantic of its kind.

However, centuries earlier, the “simplest” yet most profound profession of love was that of God sending His only son to die on a tree to redeem His fallen but greatly desired creation.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. “

As part of the “whosoever,” we are instructed, in Luke 10:27, to put EVERYTHING we have – all of ourselves – into loving God (in return…my words) and to,

“…love your neighbor as yourself.”

In today’s (at least seemingly) “crazy” world, more time seems to be spent in ignoring or vilifying our neighbors than in “loving” them. Perhaps worse, many people don’t even know their neighbors! How are they to find Jesus if they don’t see Him in us?

Let’s “share the love” this month with our “neighbors – on our street, at work, in the grocery store, at school, in church…you get the picture. Do something unexpected for the unsuspecting. Widen the circle of those you are preparing to bless this month of LOVE!

I Cor. 13:13 “…and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Mary