Love; Start Right!

January 1, 2026

Love; Start Right!

Most of us want to start the New Year off right.  If we can let go of a few things that haunted us a bit last year while at the same time embracing something good for the new year, we would count ourselves blessed.

There are many things that are important; family, friends, career, funding our retirement, improving our physical health, giving attention to our spiritual life, etc.  However, we often forget the foundation of all these important things is love. 

If we want to start the New Year off right, there is no better place to start than with love.  Our love for Jesus, our love for other people, and our love for self will influence all the other important goals we might set for the new year.

In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus identifies the most important commandment.  Jesus says; “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it:  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

Starting the New Year right begins by starting with loving Jesus, loving others, and loving self.  However, the love of which Jesus speaks is not quite the same as the love of which the world speaks.  The Apostle Paul understood that we start right by loving in a way that honors God.  In Romans 12:9 Paul writes; “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good…”

A love that is genuine (real!) is different than a love that comes with conditions or manipulations or control.  A love that is authentic is different than a love that comes with guilt or shame or a lack of honor for the other person.

Paul says our love is to be genuine.  And, our love is to hate what is evil so it can embrace what is good.  Imagine how this kind of genuine love could change your life this year.  Imagine how this kind of genuine love could transform a strained relationship.  Imagine how this kind of genuine love could open a door to new possibilities and opportunities. 

In I Corinthians 16:14 the Apostle Paul writes; “Let all that you do be done in love.”  Paul instructs us to let everything we do at home, at work, on the team, in the classroom, in the neighborhood, in the church, in our volunteer work, and at the club be done in love.  It sounds like love is the right way to start the new year.

As we strive to do everything in love, it is helpful to remember the source of love is found in the Lord God.  In I John 4:7 we hear; “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

Take a few moments on this New Year’s Day to be still.  Ask yourself if the right New Year’s resolution for you might start with love rather than a diet or a career change or improving your health. 

+How might you love in a way that informs everything you do?

+How might you love in a way that is truly genuine (no strings attached!)?

+Where could you begin loving in a more genuine way during this next week?  Imagine what might need to change in order for that to happen.

Love is the right way to start the New Year.  When you focus on growing love, your heart will fill with delight for the Lord’s goodness and grace as well as for the Lord’s faithfulness and love for you.

Let’s commit to starting the New Year right.  Let’s start with growing a genuine love in all that we do and say.

Happy New Year!

Doug