the only thing that matters

Today in the One Year Bible, Paul sums up what's most important in Galatians 5:1-12. He says, "What is important is faith expressing itself through love." Other translations say "What really matters" or "The only thing that matters."

But this sums up our lives. Without faith it's impossible to please God. And the way we express our faith is by loving God and other people. The way we love God (besides prayer and praise) is by loving other people. "Do you love Me?" asked Jesus. "Then feed my sheep."

So if you're wondering what your life is about: here it is. Loving God and loving other people. This is how you express your faith in Him. Just a reminder: loving people doesn't mean having warm fuzzy feelings about them. It means DOING things for them, including forgiving them. That includes your enemies. It means being kind to people who annoy you. It means going out of your way to help people, including those in prison or who are sick. It means taking care of the weak and vulnerable among us. How can you love someone today in a way you haven't before?

God, thanks for telling us what it all comes down to. Please help us to express our faith through love.