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March 1, 2016
How to Leave A Legacy of Love |
“Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)
Our world is confused about love — what true love is and how it makes a difference. Too many of us have equated love with a feeling and based it on emotion. The only problem with that is as soon as the feeling is gone, the love follows. We’ve made it flowery and feeble when it’s actually the greatest gift that God gave us! (1 Corinthians 13:13)
If we step back and look at the bigger picture of what love is — what God created it to be — it changes everything.
The thing I’m realizing about life is no matter where you are or what season you’re walking through, you’ll find yourself in spaces that require you to lead, which come hand‐in‐hand with challenges to love.
Career changes, new life phases — whatever it may be, we all get thrown into situations where we have to make decisions and choose to grow in who we are and how we love.
The key to leadership is love, so I want to make sure that as I go through life, I leave traces of love behind me. Like our key verse says, I want to “Do everything in love.” I’ve been thinking about what that looks like in everyday life, and here are three ways each of us can leave a legacy of love:
1. Seize opportunities to lead.
No matter who you are or what you do, you are a leader.
It’s hard for a lot of people to wrap their minds around that. They think they are too quiet or too loud, too unique or too ordinary, too opinionated or too meek, and the list goes on. The fact is God uniquely designed each of us with gifts and abilities to lead and love others. That includes YOU!
- If you’re a mom, you are a leader to your kids.
- If you’re the boss at work, you are a leader of your organization.
- If you’re a student, you are a leader at your school.
If we want to leave legacies of love, we need to welcome these opportunities and love the people who come along with them.
2. Understand the power of your words.
How different could our relationships look if we just committed to saying positive things like “thank you” and “great job” more often? A LOT.
Our words carry more weight than we know.
As leaders, our words can speak life into the people around us if we’re willing to run them through a filter of love. This doesn’t mean that we have to sugarcoat everything or shy away from the truth. It simply means we should be slow to critique and quick to compliment.
3. Commit to helping others succeed.
If I am successful in life, then good for me. But if those around me are successful? THAT will define me as a leader. It will be the legacy I leave.
Our friends, coworkers, spouses and kids won’t remember us for what we accomplish, but instead what we helped them to accomplish and how we cheered them on along the way.
They’ll remember how we loved them.
I SERIOUSLY want everyone around me to live a life that exceeds their dreams as they become who God created them to be. That’s why I’m committed to seeing the people around me reach their goals.
When people in our lives know we have their best interest at heart, they can trust us. That trust allows them to experience what true, unconditional love feels like — that love leaves a legacy!
So as you go about your day, do everything in love. When you’re shuttling your kids around, do everything in love. When you’re at your job, do everything in love. When you’re taking care of small details you’re convinced no one will ever notice, do everything in love.
When you model what you consider important, those around you take notice. Celebrate love. Display it. The most lasting thing we can do with our lives and leadership is to love because love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). That’s why leaders who love are leaders who leave a legacy.
Heavenly Father, thank You for lovingly leading us. Help us to love and lead others in a way that honors You and leaves a legacy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (NIV)
1 Corinthians 13:8a, “Love never fails.” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
Whether you are an entrepreneur or a new parent, Perry Noble’s first leadership book, perrynoble.com, or on Twitter @perrynoble.
Enter to WIN a copy of The Most Excellent Way to Lead by Perry Noble. In celebration of this book, Tyndale House Publishers is giving away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We'll randomly select 5 winners and email notifications by Monday, March 7.}
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What opportunity could you seize right now to take a step toward leaving a legacy of love?
© 2016 by Perry Noble. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Tyndale for their sponsorship of today's devotion.
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Originally published Tuesday, 01 March 2016.
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