Love
Love...
I often hear about love; it is spoken about from the pulpit; it is spoken about in regards to neighbor, but sadly the idea of love or truly charity is often construed as niceness and lack of offense in dealing with others. This often leads to people missing, what I believe to be a fundamental point of being Christian, and that is loving your neighbor as yourself. I say this because if one is a Christian, then they believe Christianity is the way and that what Jesus said is true: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me” (Jn 14: 6). It would then be truly charitable and loving to share with your neighbor and with all whom you encounter Christ.
When a person out of convenience chooses to follow some of the Lord's commandments and disregard others to suit situations or not to offend, then it may be said they are being lukewarm, and this is what the Lord has said about the lukewarm: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16). If we are to truly be Christian, it means that we are Christian all the time, not just when it is convenient and to love our neighbor as our self means that we love them enough to share the truth with them and desire them to have joy that we have in our hearts, and it must be remembered that loving someone sometimes means saying what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.
We are called to love our God with all heart, mind, strength and soul (cf. Lk 10:27), so that means learning how to honor Him and what He asks of us, and after doing that will we be prepared to give people the reason for the joy in hearts and provide explanations (cf.1 Peter 3:15) and know truly how to love our neighbor, and that ultimate love will be the living and sharing of the gospel.
It is good to be caring. It is considered good to be nice, but it is virtuous to be charitable and truly love. Therefore, let us all truly love and share Christ, and not just when it is convenient, but in all opportunities in our life, in every action and bring people to the greatest love; the love of God. Nevertheless, to love is a decision and we must choose to love and to share that love with the world. What will you do?
I often hear about love; it is spoken about from the pulpit; it is spoken about in regards to neighbor, but sadly the idea of love or truly charity is often construed as niceness and lack of offense in dealing with others. This often leads to people missing, what I believe to be a fundamental point of being Christian, and that is loving your neighbor as yourself. I say this because if one is a Christian, then they believe Christianity is the way and that what Jesus said is true: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me” (Jn 14: 6). It would then be truly charitable and loving to share with your neighbor and with all whom you encounter Christ.
When a person out of convenience chooses to follow some of the Lord's commandments and disregard others to suit situations or not to offend, then it may be said they are being lukewarm, and this is what the Lord has said about the lukewarm: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16). If we are to truly be Christian, it means that we are Christian all the time, not just when it is convenient and to love our neighbor as our self means that we love them enough to share the truth with them and desire them to have joy that we have in our hearts, and it must be remembered that loving someone sometimes means saying what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.
We are called to love our God with all heart, mind, strength and soul (cf. Lk 10:27), so that means learning how to honor Him and what He asks of us, and after doing that will we be prepared to give people the reason for the joy in hearts and provide explanations (cf.1 Peter 3:15) and know truly how to love our neighbor, and that ultimate love will be the living and sharing of the gospel.
It is good to be caring. It is considered good to be nice, but it is virtuous to be charitable and truly love. Therefore, let us all truly love and share Christ, and not just when it is convenient, but in all opportunities in our life, in every action and bring people to the greatest love; the love of God. Nevertheless, to love is a decision and we must choose to love and to share that love with the world. What will you do?
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