Sharing the Love of God: An Outpouring of Aloha

In Hawaii the word aloha means a lot more than just hello and good-bye. It also means love.

Hawaii is called The Aloha State. Hawaiians show aloha to one another. Things can be done in the spirit of aloha.

Literally translated, aloha means “breath of God be upon you.”

It’s kind of like saying, “May God bless you.” It means you do something kind without expecting something in return.

When I came home from the hospital after the attack, my family and I were amazed at how people were willing to help: they brought food, cleaned the house, and eagerly started raising money to help pay expenses. And they were praying for us. Everybody wanted to help. Everybody wanted to show aloha.

There are lots of ways for us to show God’s aloha (love) to others.

• We can pray for others.
• We can send notes to cheer them up.
• We can bring a meal or a special treat to someone who is sick.
• We can clean someone’s house or do yard work.

Showing aloha to our neighbors is what Jesus taught us to do.

God’s Words Inspire

Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:13-14

Chatting with God

Dear God, thank You for loving us. Help us to love others out of a pure love, not with the purpose of getting something in return. Show us how we can love our neighbors in all kinds of ways that will be helpful to them and that will show Your love. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Did You Know?

Aloha can mean all of these things: hello, good-bye, love, mercy, compassion, grace, pity, greeting, loved one, to love, and to greet. Aloha!

Excerpted from Rise Above: A 90-Day Devotional by Bethany Hamilton, copyright Zonderkidz, 2014.

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Your Turn

How do you sharing the love of God — aloha (“the breath of God be upon you”) — to those around you? How can you be intentional about sharing God’s love with your family, friends, and community today? Come join the conversation on our blog! We’d love to hear your ideas about spreading the aloha love! ~ Devotionals Daily