Simple love?
The Christian life can be simplified down to 2 commandments. 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength', and 'Love your neighbor as yourself'. (Mark 12:30-31) Love seems like such a simple thing to do, but is it really?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7I am not sure we can truly "fall" in love. It is condition quite unnatural for our fallen mind. It is, however, a natural state for our transformed mind. As God forgave us, we forgive others. As we practice true love, our hearts abandon our faith in the justice in this world, and trust in the peace that God provides.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
3 Comments:
Love is truly against our inherent sinful nature. That's why it's so hard to love those who don't love us. But God clearly commands this:
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
Luke 6:32
I can see truth in what you are saying. I think that only God can LOVE unconditionally. No matter how far away we fall or how we fall short, we are His and His love is unnending if we believe. What an awesome thought.
How do I love my neighbor as myself? But more importantly, how do I love myself, especially since the way I choose to love and care for myself always seems wrong, but no one seems willing to show me how to do it the so-called right way?
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