“Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14 (ESV)
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Growing up, one of my favorite psalms in the Bible was Psalm 51, where David cries out for God to create in him a pure heart.
I would often pray for God take the steps to cleanse my own heart and make it pure, ridding it of all sin and shame. But it wasn’t until recently that I reflected on what steps God may be asking me to take toward cleansing my heart as a partner on this journey, and I believe the answer lies in 1 Corinthians 16:14. Paul tells us — and I believe God speaks to each of us through the Scriptures — to “let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14, ESV).
In every moment, every interaction, every situation and every relationship we encounter throughout our days, God gives us an opportunity to choose a path of love. While we may not be able to control what happens to us, we always have a choice to determine how we can respond in love and bring love into this world and to each soul God has placed in our lives.
When we choose to act in love, those are the moments the world gets to feel God’s tangible, deep and unconditional love, and we draw the hearts of those around us closer to God. It is in those moments when we choose the most loving option and to do good works for others that I believe God is most present and His love has a chance to shine and be felt by the world.
As you go throughout your day and continue on your own journey toward cleansing your heart (a process that will not be complete until Heaven), I encourage you to pray and uncover what act of love God may be calling you to infuse into each moment and interaction.
It could be in how you love and take care of your body and nourish your soul. It could be how you show love and kindness to your teammates, coaches, fans, families or even your rivals and those who criticize or critique your performance. Regardless, the reality is that in each and every moment, you have choices in how you respond to the world and live your life. Within these choices, there is always an opportunity to choose God and the most loving action.
For when we uncover and choose to do the most loving thing, our hearts are choosing to follow God. Through each loving choice, our hearts get a little more clean. And the cherry on top is that God’s love is made a little more known and felt by the world.
— Ryan Vilfer
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