If you were told that you had one week to live, what would you do with your time left here on earth? Who or what would you want to see during the final days of your life? And how many people do you think would come to say goodbye? When Moses was told by God that he would die soon, before entering the Promised Land, Moses’ main concern was to make sure the people of Israel had a shepherd after he was gone. He loved his people so much that even in his final days, all he cared about was their well being. Moses knew what love was and he knew how to love.

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren states that he has been at the bedside of many people in their final moments and that he’s never had anyone ask to see their achievements, diplomas, medals and awards, one more time before they die. Instead, they want to be surrounded by people they love. You can’t take achievements and accomplishments with you to heaven but love stays with you forever. He goes on to explain that God is love and one of our main purposes here on earth is to learn how to love.

And how do we learn how to love? We do it through loving relationships and close fellowship with other believers, which will eventually draw in non-believers. I really like the way Rick Warren puts it, “God wants you to be in regular, close fellowship with other believers so you can develop the skill of loving. Love cannot be learned in isolation. You have to be around people – irritating, imperfect, frustrating people.”

So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do,

I’m bankrupt without love.

1 Corinthians 13:3

There is a reason why the two greatest commandments are: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” (Matthew 22:37) and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39). This is what life is all about. Rick Warren echoes these two commandments when he says that “love should be your top priority” and “relationships are what life is all about.”

It made me think of all the times that I dismissed my youngest daughter by blurting out, “Not now,” when she asked me to play with her while I was in the middle of writing a blog post. I remember all those missed opportunities when I had the chance to call a friend whom I hadn’t seen in a while but decided against it because I was having a busy day. And what about the times that I’ve gone a whole week without seeing my parents, who live 20 minutes away, because I had a long list of to-do’s. I can’t even count the days where I’ve spent a good part of the day without any contact with another human being because I was busy accomplishing tasks.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 5:6

I realized that I was totally missing the point. When I spend most of my time on getting things done and not on people, I’m not investing my time wisely. God wants us to spend our precious time on things that are eternal, our relationship with Him and our relationship with others. God’s not going to care how many tasks I’ve accomplished, how many awards I’ve received, how much knowledge I’ve accumulated, how many digits I have on my paycheck, or how many followers I have on social media. In the end, what matters most is whether I’ve learned to let God’s love be manifested in me by loving others. It says in Galatians 5:6 that “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Apostle Paul’s words, which are also a part of the song “The Proof of Your Love” by for KING & COUNTRY, keep playing in my head. In 1 Corinthians 13:3 (MSG), Paul emphasizes, “If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”

Have a blessed rest of the week!

Linking up with these lovelies: Unite | Titus 2 Tuesday | Word Filled Wednesday | A Little R & R | Coffee and Conversation | Thursday Favorite Things | SHINE | Thought Provoking Thursday | Cozy Reading Spot | Fellowship Fridays | Faith Filled Friday | Faith & Fellowship | Grace & Truth