December 5

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8 (NIV) 

In the middle of all the holiday rush, we have to stop and fervently love the people around us. We have to, because Jesus was born — love personified — and we have to because showing love to others is a reflection of Jesus in our lives. Most importantly, we’re instructed to love “above all.”

Fervent in this scripture means “to be stretched” or “to be strained,” like the muscles of an athlete working at full capacity. That’s how deeply we’re called to love those around us. A love strong enough to forgive, and start anew.

December arrives, and everyone seems to operate on double time. Moving lightning-quick through our to-do lists can cause short fuses and high levels of frustration. We can snap at our kids, or someone in a check-out line, or a driver who nabs the parking spot we were eyeing. Or, we can choose love instead.

We can, above all, choose love.

For Today: Who can you show more love to this week?