Love is the Holy Spirit’s First Gift
Love is the Holy Spirit’s first gift. We established that much on Tuesday. But what, specifically, is Love? People have cheapened the word, reducing it to mere sexual attraction, or appreciation of foods.
I’d like to focus instead on what amounts to Webster’s fourth definition for the love: 4a. unselfish, loyal, benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2):brotherly concern for others b: a person’s adoration of God.

Another way to define love is what I heard a pastor say some years ago: Love is wanting God’s best for someone else.

Other reasons Love is the Holy Spirit’s first gift arise from the fact that Jesus and the Father sent the Spirit so that we’d never be alone. The Spirit adopts us into God’s family, and testifies with our spirits that we who believe in Christ are God’s children.

Steadied in God’s love, it’s less perilous to reach out in love to brothers and sisters in Christ. Some of them will take us in with proverbial open arms. Others may keep us at a greater distance, yet no matter how they react, we are not alone.

Stabilized by God’s love, we need not be terrified by non-believers.

No one nor any thing can separate us from Him. Instead, we can show non-believers the Holy Spirit’s other gifts: kindness and patience, perhaps setting an example by the self-control he lends, even if we don’t feel as much familial feeling as we do with believers.
In this new year, remember love is the Holy Spirit’s first gift. Set about changing your world with it.

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If you’ve ever been curious about Heidi’s fiction, there are links to short stories and an anthology on this page.