Connecting Columbia Union Seventh-day Adventists

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June 2, 2021: Love Freely Gives

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Gal. 5:22, KJV).

Love—one of the fruits of the Spirit—is represented in the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11–32.

We always talk about love, but what is it? Wikipedia describes love as “always seeking the highest good for others, no matter their behavior. It is a love that gives freely without asking anything in return.”

How did the prodigal son behave? He was lazy, disrespectful and ungrateful. He asked for all his inheritance and wasted everything, living in ways his father had not taught him. He brought dishonor to his family and himself. When he found himself alone, sad, broke and without a single friend, he was reminded of how his father’s servants lived and decided to return home.

The entire time he was away, his father thought of him and prayed for his return. The day he saw his son coming down the road, instead of asking lots of questions or shaming him, he ran out and immediately hugged him because of the pure love he felt for him. I encourage us all to practice this kind of love toward each other.

Dear Lord, please give us the unselfish love that You have toward people. Help us to see people with Your eyes. Amen.

Elyssia Sanchez is a fourth-grader at Vienna Adventist Academy in Virginia.

Check out the other resources from our Year of the Bible Journey: