Toward the Role of Provider

Love involves a willingness to expend effort and make sacrifices for the benefit of others. As we continue to exercise love, we develop greater capacity to sustain effort and sacrifice. Greater capacity allows us to take the role of provider in more of our interpersonal relationships. What we're ultimately providing is a reason to adopt the mindset of love. Our example should demonstrate that forgiveness is possible, and that a person will be more content if they have the new kingdom mindset. We can help change the mindset of neighbors who have a shortcoming of hope, but we have to acknowledge that this is a long-term process. We'll need to expend great effort over a long time period, and even then we're only a small part of the conversion process - we're relying on the community to make up for our shortcomings. Love, humility and faith are required to sustain the effort. We have to love our neighbors enough to want this outcome for them. Humility is required to remain engaged with people who may disdain us. Faith is required in order to persist when we're not observing forward progress and we would otherwise believe that our effort is wasted.