By Marilyn Bazett-Jones

In my NIV Bible, there are 686 references to love. Do you think that is a hint that love matters a lot to God?

It impressed me to read that the Ten Commandments are all about relationship: four about God, six about relationship with others. Of course! It makes sense… God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is all about relationship.

As I was growing up on the farm, my mom and dad modeled selfless love. Mom always got up in the night if one of us kids were sick or scared. She helped Dad with any job when he needed an extra pair of hands. She’d give Dad the first dinner plate, the biggest burger, and the best-looking cookies of the batch.

Dad complimented Mom often, thanked her for helping, asked her opinions and preferences, and made a big deal of each special occasion. They forgave us and even asked our forgiveness. I’m so glad I witnessed a love that put others first.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love,” Paul told the Galatians. (Think of all he sacrificed in the name of bringing the Gospel to others.) Love like this may mean losing sleep, working harder or longer, giving up my own agenda, being patient, enduring through the difficult and messy parts of life. It could mean reaching out in relationship, even when I’m always the one making the effort. It means never giving up on a “lost” cause. It means forgiving, again and again. Some people are easy to love, but we get real practice when we love the ones who deserve it the least and need it the most.

If we love well, our love can leave a legacy. What could be more beautiful than being remembered for the way we’ve treated people? Dignity, respect and compassion for others are more important than checking everything off my long to-do list (I believe that; now if I could only stay in that mode!).

What if we were all playing the game of “Life”: attaining an education, getting a job, rising in a career, buying a home, getting married, starting a family, paying down the mortgage, saving for retirement, planning wisely. We would be successfully getting all our markers along the right track to the finish line, right?

But, in doing so, if we were competing so rigidly that we ignored, neglected or even mistreated others along the way, wouldn’t we be getting the game of Life all wrong? Isn’t it about bringing others along with us, helping them find and attain the important things, too? Though it can seem like a detour or a distraction when someone needs extra compassion or TLC, these are the true priorities of life. We’d be bankrupt without love.

Love is a powerful force and a major motivator. Love has greater power to stir, move and change than any other emotion or energy. Put a little love in the mix and the batter will swell, rise and multiply.

“Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love …” Can you hear the song in your head? It’s true. God wants love to be the characteristic that sets us apart. The more we learn about loving others, the more Christlike we are becoming.

Marilyn Bazett-Jones is a communications specialist at WEC Energy Group in Green Bay and the author of the newly published book "Life, Love and Loss."