How do we keep a heart that is tender in forgiving in the midst of so much hurt in injustice?

How do we walk in the love of God that is merciful, and that does keep a record of wrongs?

We are called to put on Compassion, which calls us to suffer with and to be spurred to mercy and to love.

Empathy is the servant of Compassion, and the action of Compassion maintains a heart that will burn for Christ all of our days.

In a fallen world, self-esteem is about the complete valuing of ones self at the cost of others.

But in the Kingdom of Heaven, our value is found in Christ, and the love of God provokes our hearts to value one another, from the place of being rooted and established in His love.

Not devaluing ourselves, rather, when we value others above ourselves, it's us simply lifting another up.

The love of Christ is selfless, wanting only what God wants.

It is emptying of self, and being filled with my mind and heart of Christ.

In Romans 2:4, we see that it's the Lord's Kindness that leads to repentance.

It's our desire to put on the kindness of the Lord.

We are called to show the love of Christ. As we take a deeper dive into 1 Corinthians 13, we look at the long suffering, beautiful, enduring love that was shown to us.

We, as believers are called to be clothed. To be clothed in Christ, to be covered (hidden) in Christ. To be clothed in humility, compassion, kindness and love.

God created us to experience His love for us. Not just know it, but to allow it to go beyond our understanding, and into our Spirit.

This is why it says, "Look at what love the Father has lavished on us" and "Let eyes of your heart be enlightened".

This is the love He has for us. To be experienced, so that we can bear fruit in our lives, to give God glory, so that the world can experience the fruit of a life abiding in the vine.

Our understanding of "As I have loved you" is our response to "love one another".

God's love, His agape love, gives everything we do meaning. His love in us, causes everything we do and say, to become worship back to Him!

We need His love in us, because without His love, we've gained nothing, we are nothing, and our service is just noise.