Monique Zackery: 31 Days of Victory: {Day 26} Love

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second one is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands.”

Last night, on the way home from a long day, Curtis {a.k.a. CZ} and I stopped at a gas station to pick up some gum. We had no idea that a craving for spearmint would turn into a divine appointment. There was a young woman {probably in her early twenties} standing in the parking lot. She caught my attention. I wondered what her story was. Then I wondered if I was suppose to talk to her, but I quickly dismissed those thoughts, knowing it would be awkward if I went up to her for what seemed like no reason at all.

I stayed in the car, checking email on my phone, while CZ pumped gas and went in to buy the gum. After a short while, he came back to the car and said, “Hey, you should come talk to this girl.” Knowing I had just quenched the prompting of the Spirit only five minutes earlier, I got out to meet her straightaway. As I walked toward her, my heart became filled with compassion and God's love for her.

Following a short introduction I asked her to tell me a bit about herself and she openly shared her story of victory with us. She has two little children, ages three and two, a boy and a girl. Their father was killed, as a result of gang activity. She was out making door-to-door sales to support her kids and had just been kicked out of the nearest neighborhood for soliciting, which made me so sad.

She is an overcomer. She shared her dreams of being a motivational speaker to encourage kids in neighborhoods like the one she lived in. She just started school and wants to be a cosmetologist. She told me and CZ about her newfound relationship with God and how she was recently baptized. I cannot describe the way my spirit rejoiced over her words - over her life.

We had the sweet, privilege of praying with her. After saying "amen" we opened our eyes to see big, alligator tears streaming down her face. Oh, how I wanted to be her forever friend. She promptly wiped away her tears, gave us a warm hug and dismissed herself to her ride, which had just pulled up. We made our way toward our car and when I took my place in the passenger seat, I couldn't help but to melt down into a big puddle of emotions... not just because of her. But because of the millions of other people just like her who are longing for a second chance... Because of the untold number of people who are looking for a hug, a prayer, and a word of encouragement...

Doesn't that describe all of us?

The whole way home I kept thinking of her story; the story of victory that God is writing for her. I thought of how He has seen every tear she's cried and how He was by her side when she mourned the death of her boyfriend. I thought of how God gave her strength when she decided to pursue her dreams against all odds; how His hands will continue to carry her as she works to give her little one's the best life she can. Then I thought of our calling. Not just the calling for CZ and me; the calling for every believer--the calling to love God and love people. What a beautiful calling it is! CZ and I are daily baffled by the fact that we get to share God's love with people. Best. Job. Ever!

There is something so life changing about seeing people through the eyes of Christ. My friend, Beckah Shae, started a twitter trend: #PutYourLoveGlassesOn. Glasses are primarily worn to correct defects of vision. The concept of "love glasses" is to remind us all to view others through the lens of God's love.

WARNING: When you start wearing your love glasses, it will wreck your world. Before you know it, those you once judged will be those you now pray for. Those you called your enemy will be those you choose to bless. Those you once passed by, will be those you stop to spend time with. And holding back tears? Oh forget about it! You'll be a mess after meeting a random girl at the gas station.

Now that you've been given a fair warning, I invite you to put your love glasses on with me.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13

{Jesus, will you help us to see people through your eyes--especially those we tend to judge? We want to walk in your love. Knowing that our love is a reflection of you, because you ARE love, we choose to love every soul, ranging from the ones on the street, to the ones in our church. From the ones in our family, to the ones in the club. Help us to love those who treat us badly and those who crawl under our skin. Help us to love the one who knocks on our door with a sales pitch when we don't have the time or the heart to listen. Give us the strength to die to our self in order to love like you do. In Your mighty name. Amen.}

Below is the official #PutYourLoveGlassesOn music video It's great! If you're reading this via email or a reader, and you don't see the video, click here.