“Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

He was the most cantankerous and miserable patient that the fifth floor long-term facility had ever encountered. No one wanted to be his nurse on any of the shifts. Julie was a new hire and was appointed to the fifth floor. No one had the opportunity of knowing Julie before she was assigned to Henry’s section. On her first day of work, her co-workers could see that there was something really different about Julie. They would come to find out that she was a Christian and loved the Lord Jesus very much. It was amazing what took place on the very first day that Julie entered Henry’s room. He growled. He hollered at her and spoke very unkindly. He was uncooperative, rude, vulgar, and generally miserable. But his meanness was no match to the kind of love that Julie showed him. It actually disarmed and somewhat unraveled him when Julie spoke kindly and quietly, and yet she insisted that he was going to wash his face and she expected him to stop screaming right now. Over the next few days that old cantankerous patient in room 515 was confronted by the love of the Lord Jesus that flowed in and through the new nurse Julie. What a great opportunity she had to demonstrate that love suffers long! It does not allow itself to be trodden under foot; however, it operates in sincerity and truth and is kind.

For today: What opportunities will be before you to demonstrate the love of the Lord Jesus today?