The Lifting Power of Love

Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 1 Corinthians 8:1

One of my favorite hymns is entitled “Love Lifted Me.”  The refrain for that hymn says: Love lifted me, love lifted me. When nothing else could help, love lifted me.

Indeed, one of the superpowers of love is to lift those who receive or benefit from it. True love does not tear down but builds up. It encourages, uplifts, empowers, and gives confidence.

When people know they are loved, they shed the garment of shame, fear, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, and self-defeat. Most people do better when they feel loved and supported. It is not coincidental that parents are often reminded to encourage their children with words of affirmation.

My creativity is heightened when I feel loved. Conversely, I shut down when I am criticized or trivialized. My love language is words of affirmation because my spirit feeds off love, and my mind goes into overdrive when I feel loved.

The story is told of a young man who, after a public failure, walked through life with his head down, convinced his mistake was his identity. A mentor sat with him, spoke grace without minimizing the truth, and reminded him he was still worth believing in. That love didn’t erase what happened, but that he was loved nonetheless. These words of kindness lifted his head, restored his strength, and helped him stand again.

In a world where people are often torn down by criticism, comparison, and competition, love becomes a lifting force. It raises weary heads, strengthens fragile hearts, and creates safe spaces for growth. When you choose love over pride, you become part of God’s construction crew, helping rebuild confidence, faith, and hope in someone else.

Knowledge can make us feel superior. It can win arguments, prove points, and elevate our status in a room. But Paul reminds us that knowledge alone has a tendency to inflate the ego, while love does something far more powerful; it builds people up.

Don’t underestimate the lifting power of love; the love of God was lifted on a cross so we could be rescued from eternal separation and raised into everlasting life with Him. Now lift up your head and release every weight of shame. His love breaks every chain and calls you by your name.

Reflection Question

Where do you need to let the lifting power of God’s love raise your head and restore your hope?

Prayer

Father, thank You for the love that was lifted on the cross for me; lift my heart above shame, strengthen my faith, and teach me to live in the freedom You purchased with Your sacrifice.