One Example of Selfless, Spirit-Filled Love

“…God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5

I loved Kim Davis, but I couldn’t help myself. She drew love out of me. She lived lovingly because she was naturally a loving and nurturing woman. She was a servant. However, her love was deeper and much more profound than simply natural love.

And so is your love and my love if born of the Spirit.

Kim came to faith in Christ, and I was one beneficiary of the work Christ did in her. I am a man who lived with a woman who had fruit born of the love of God. She loved as Christ loved. She selflessly served me, my children, and so many others. God’s love was poured into her heart through the Spirit who had been given to her. And she spilled that love out onto so many people.

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14

A week or so following her funeral, one of my children said, “We knew she took care of us; we didn’t know she took care of so many other people.” We were all blessed by the testimonies we heard.

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10

I can attest that Kim never took herself very seriously. I mean, in her estimation, she was unimportant and not a big deal. She seemed to think little of herself, and she thought a lot about other people. She found purpose in serving. And love poured out of her.

And I lived with her. What a privilege.

“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

Now for my lesson learned: Kim wasn’t a big deal. She was simply a recipient of God’s love. She did take one thing very seriously. She desired to be a channel of blessing, a vessel. She wanted God’s love to flow unimpeded into and through her life. She chose selflessness to bless others. She chose to love. Several friends and family members have said that Kim loved fiercely.

But you and I have the same opportunity if we have the same faith given to Kim as a gift. We simply have to exert effort to build on the gift we’ve been given.

“…make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and…knowledge, and…self-control, and…steadfastness, and…godliness, and…brotherly affection, and…love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” 2 Peter 1:5-9

I don’t want to be so nearsighted that I am blind. I don’t want to be ineffective or unfruitful. I don’t want to forget the gift of cleansing from my former sins. I want to supplement my faith with all these qualities, especially “…brotherly affection with love.”

In fact, the fruit of the Spirit is love, among other things. Love is a fruit that is born of the Spirit’s indwelling. I want to be a channel of that same love just like Kim was a channel. Her selfless, Spirit-filled love stands as one example to be mimicked by any Christ-follower.

Lord, let your love flow unimpeded into and through us, also.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:23-24