This month, our character focus is Love. The operational definition of love is “giving to others’ basic needs without having as my motive personal reward.”

God Himself is love, and when He dwells within us, we can be motivated by His love. His love is unconditional, offered even when we don’t deserve it. Love meets practical needs and communicates worth, acceptance, and belonging.

Love is the highest, purest motivation in our interactions with others. God gave us commands to help us know how to love Him and others. To love God with all one’s heart is to keep the greatest commandment! Loving one’s neighbor is second. As we receive and extend God’s love to others, we discover it even has the power to conquer fear, hatred, and selfishness. All other character qualities are ways we can communicate this foundational quality of love.