“This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.”
Two commandments … believe in Jesus - and love one another.
Pretty clear …but oh how easily we mess this up.
Sometimes I choose to not love my brother because he doesn’t keep God’s commands… So, I am breaking God’s command, by not loving a brother, because he is breaking God’s command… It is exhausting.
My ever-changing application of scripture for my own convenience is hypocrisy.
Who do you think Jesus meant when He said to love your enemy? …. The guy that looks and talks like you? ... No – everybody loves that guy….
He meant the guy who believes in everything you’re against – the guy that mocks your standards…. If you love that guy - the world will take notice. And I don’t mean some pious, self-centered, martyr complex…I mean really love them and pursue what is best for them.
Is that your goal? Do you spend time searching for ways to serve others? Have you googled how you can assist those who don’t believe what you believe? Me neither….
So how will tomorrow be any different? Will we just nod in agreement and say “yeah, I need to work on that”? – or will we do something? ….God doesn’t want our agreement He wants our obedience.
We must decide to LOVE others … not based on who they are - but on whose they are …and then act on it.
This is counter to my nature which is to react to people instead of responding to God…and if, for even a moment, I stop focusing on Christ’s undeserved love for me - I will fail in loving others.
Make today different by refusing to be self-centered and instead actively and intentionally love those around you as He has commanded.
The world tells you to love yourself - the bible tells you to die to yourself and love others. Your creator knows His creation, so do what He says. Trust Jesus and love others – It is sometimes difficult, but it is not complicated.
“It is wonderful how much time people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of listlessness and dissatisfaction” - Helen Keller
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