absorbing pain

When you love someone you absorb pain.
Paul said that we should "in honor prefer one another." Romans 12:10

When we hurt, we do not act out of our hurt, but we choose to love instead.

And so we take care of an ailing spouse.
We give an adult child space that wants it.
We park farther away so that visitors can park close.
We give money for the needy.
We change our habits to make the life of another more comfortable.

We do this because we love.
Love means absorbing pain.
It is what Jesus did on the cross.
Leaders do not inflict pain, they absorb pain.

I am sorry about this post.   It will not be popular.
But who do you love?  How can you absorb pain for them?

There is a holy thing about changing so that another can be blessed.
There is a joy in giving- that one never finds in taking.
Prefer another over yourself.  Take up your cross.  Lose your life to find it.

Give yourself away in love.  You will be glad that you did.

It's a painful but beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.