Life rarely goes according to plan. Many interruptions come requiring us to adjust course frequently. But remaining flexible gives us the freedom to love even when things don’t go according to plan.

While some of us are naturally more free-spirited than others, we all make plans and have our agendas we want to see accomplished.

And generally speaking, this is a mark of maturity and how we make a meaningful contribution to our communities.

God has given us a task and we’re intentional about seeing it through.

The problem comes when we’re so focused on completing our particular task that we fail in our higher call to love.

We can see this in the story of the Good Samaritan. Presumably the priest and Levite were too inflexible in their agendas to be bothered by someone in need.

And we’re often guilty of the same thing. Even with simple things such as our desire to be on time.

Certainly timeliness is a good thing and communicates respect for others. But being on time should never get in the way of love.

For instance, is it better to get to church on time while taking no regard for our wife and children, or to be late while communicating patient love and compassion along the way?

However noble our immediate agenda is we must constantly filter it through our practice of love.

This does not mean we say Yes to everything. We still stay in our lane.

But we remain flexible enough to consider and adjust to the needs of each moment – willing to postpone our agendas for the sake of love.

Diligently accomplish all that is yours to do. And remain flexible enough to love.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Dr. Corey Carlisle

Dr. Corey Carlisle

Licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist - providing Christian counseling and soul care to individuals and couples, with a special emphasis on developing the masculine soul. Suwanee, GA 30024