In life we tend to make mistakes that cause us pain and sadness, but if we are in God’s ways, all things can change.
There are moments when we look back and realize that many of our wrong decisions were taken without love, without patience, and without considering the will of God. And the truth is simple but profound: if we don’t have the love that comes from our Lord Jesus, we will always act badly, impulsively, or selfishly. Without that love, our actions lose their meaning and their eternal value. But even if we have problems or any kind of difficulties, we must strive to do everything right, remembering that love is the foundation of the Christian life.
Let all that you do be done with love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Everyone who does not have love will do things merely out of obligation, routine, or pressure. Many act because they feel they “have” to, and not because their hearts are moved by genuine compassion. Yet the Scripture teaches us something completely different. This verse commands us—firmly and clearly—that everything must be done with love.
When we serve our neighbors, we must do it with love and patience, because this is how we reflect the character of Christ. A person who serves without love is only completing a task, but a person who serves with love is revealing God. This makes us different from the world, different from those who do things only to be seen, applauded, or respected.
Jesus Himself is our greatest example. He gave us His good gifts without us deserving anything. He healed, forgave, restored, fed multitudes, and finally surrendered His own life—everything motivated by His infinite love for humanity. It was because of His great love that He offered Himself so we could pass from death to life, from darkness to light, and become heirs of the kingdom of heaven.
Let us imitate this. Let us not despise doing things with love, because this is the command of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 16:14 speaks very clearly: “Let all that you do be done with love.” That includes the smallest actions and the greatest sacrifices. In God’s eyes, nothing done with love is ever insignificant.
The apostle Paul was very clear in his exhortation. He told the Corinthians to be patient, merciful, kind, and to do all things with love. This was not advice; it was a divine mandate. The church of Corinth faced divisions, pride, confusion, and immaturity. And Paul knew that without love, all spiritual gifts lose their meaning, all ministries become empty, and all efforts collapse.
And notice something important: in this chapter Paul is not limiting his words to earthly things. He is also speaking about spiritual matters—prayer, worship, service, ministry, generosity, forgiveness, correction. Everything must be done with love. Love is the difference between a work that pleases God and a work that God rejects.
Let us not forget that we must watch and pray, because only then can we receive the strength of our Lord to move forward. The person who prays without love prays mechanically, but the one who prays with love draws near to God as a child approaching the Father. The person who serves without love gets tired quickly, but the one who serves with love perseveres with joy.
Beloved, let love be the seal of everything you do. Let love guide your words, your decisions, your relationships, your ministry, your service, and even your silence. Because where love is lacking, Christ is not reflected; but where love abounds, Christ is glorified.