And above all these put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3: 14

There is one and only one totally universal principle; a singular concept that applies
to every situation and to all aspects that we encounter in this life. This is
the central characteristic that fuels God’s approach to people, and it is
the first of His qualities that the Lord desires for us to imitate. Christ
comes to us out of and in His love for us. This love is total and without
reservation or hesitation. He loves us so much that He did give all to
complete the restoration of our relationship with Him.

Although we may live in ways that should challenge God’s ability to love us, He
does not seem to have any trouble doing it on a continual basis. On the other
hand, I know that it is not so easy to truly love others. I may
want to do it, I may plan to do it, and I may think that I am
doing it; however, the reactions of others and the attitudes that I find in my
own heart tell me that intentions and actions are too often
disconnected. My motives, motivations, fears, and ego all impede me
in actually loving others; thus, they diminish my ability to be the person
that Christ calls me to be, for my unloving self does not look very much
like my all-loving God.

This is why God wants us to aspire to this one quality of His character above all
others. Every day and in each interaction that occurs during that day we do get
to choose to make those situations ones in which we love others. We can seek
Christ’s perspective on how we view the people in our lives and on the way that
we respond to them. It is amazing how much impact the simplest of acts can
have. When we choose to smile, to appreciate someone, to value their thinking,
to share our heart with them, or to carry their load; we are bringing Christ
into the lives of people. Choosing to put on the love of Christ means
that I need to accept its reality for myself; then, my life is
brought into balance. From that perspective, I can bring a touch of God’s
healing love to others, and my corner of the world is brought closer
to His perfectly harmonious balance.