Love your neighbor as yourself and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I've been thinking about this over the last couple of weeks. It doesn't mean I have to like everything about everyone, because I don't like things about myself. It doesn't mean that I should constantly complement and agree with everyone just to make them feel good, because that's not love; that's insincere flattery. I had a friend in high school who often said, "Do you want me to make you feel good, or tell you the truth?" Of course, either way you chose you knew what the truth was. She was a good friend and still is. It doesn't mean that I should turn into a different person depending on who I'm with. I have a couple friends who are completely themselves around me and I love that! I wonder if some people are so afraid of offending the weaker brother that they come across as being very guarded and not genuine.
"A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself."
Love is to place others before myself. Putting their interest above my own. That doesn't mean to pretend to care about things that don't interest me. It means the other person's interests become important to me because they're important to them. That can mean turning off the TV to read a story to one of my kids. Or, it can mean doing the right thing in a difficult circumstance even if someone gets hurt. Sometimes people get angry when you protect them. My son gets angry with me when I slap his hand to keep his little fingers out of the electrical outlet. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone for the good of others. I know quite a few foster families. Sometimes I take care of foster kids at work. What a hard situation, but such a good example of putting someone's needs before your own. Even though some of these kids are in bad environments, they still love their parents and their parents still love them. It would be very unloving to turn your head to abuse and look the other way.
If God can love people just the way they are, shouldn't I? Love is applying 1 Corinthians 13 to all the people in my life. Wow, that's a tough one. I need to be happy for people when blessings come into their lives and wish good things for them even it it's not fair and I don't think they deserve it. Love gives. I should give my time and money to meet my neighbor's needs (Although,make sure the need is a need. I learned that the hard way.) I should actively listen by capturing my thoughts and focusing my attention when someone speaks. We are never more like Christ when we are serving others. However, even Jesus withdrew from the multitudes. I think He completely understands why moms have to periodically lock themselves in the bathroom throughout the day. Rest is also a gift and a blessing. If everyone loved each other this way, everyone's needs would be met, and everyone would be happy, right? It's pretty unlikely to happen that way. Chances are someone will love and give and serve others with very little in return from the other person. Then what? We have two choices. We can focus on ourselves and become resentful. We can feel sorry for ourselves and think about how we deserve so much more. We can decide to take care of ourselves because if we don't, no one else will. After all, we have to protect ourselves from being taken advantage of and used. Other people are so ungrateful and not worth our time. Or we can focus on Christ. We can think about the Gospel. That always puts things into perspective. I don't think God expects us to give everything we have and live in poverty or to serve others to the point of exhaustion and neglect of our health and family. I don't think too many people struggle with that though. He does promise to give us wisdom.
"For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."-1 John 4:20-21
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matt. 22:39
"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." Luke 6:27-31
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
I will never understand the depth of my sin, the love I have for myself, or the love God has for me.
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