Matthew 22:39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.
Oh Friends, it’s a new day, and all’s well! Okay, so I might be a tad crazy for saying that, (smile) but if we look closely and truthfully at many of what we consider problems, we’ll find that they are mere hiccups with which we can either live comfortably, or handle in our stride with God. We’ve become such a soft, whining, petty society that now we complain loudly about things we wouldn’t have even mentioned a decade ago. However, in trying to get this LOVE Revolution train on a fast, safe and positive track, I found a quote that’s very appropriate for the next step. Yesterday we spoke about God’s LOVE for us and ours for Him. The next step for us to master is found in this quote from David G. Jones: ‘In LOVING myself I gain the power of identity that is necessary before LOVE for others is possible.’ Friends, I find that to be very truthful. We can’t truly LOVE someone else until we’re capable of LOVING ourselves. And LOVING ourselves doesn’t mean a selfish, narcissistic fixation on oneself, but appreciating our good points – and we all have some – while not allowing the bad ones to make us feel unworthy. I believe that the LOVE of self that exists today is the more selfish, chest pounding, egotistic actions that’s so encouraged, rather than the I’m comfortable in my skin, in who I am, in whom the Lord made me to be. Now learning to LOVE ourselves is no easy task, especially if we’re not living up to our expectations. However, that doesn’t mean we’re unworthy or unLOVABLE. We need to accept ourselves, offer ourselves the same kind of breaks, care, kindness and acceptance that we offer others. That’s why Jesus broke down the commandments to two: LOVE thy God, ‘And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ How can we LOVE our neighbours in the spirit that Jesus advocates if we don’t first LOVE ourselves eh? Oh my people, it all boils down to the old adage; ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ That’s the practical reality of LOVING your neighbour as yourself. You ought to treat your neighbour the way you’d like him/her to treat you. And it doesn’t mean being all goody goody and syrupy, but just being decent to others. Unfortunately though, it seems like a lot of us in this current world don’t like ourselves, judging from the terrible way we treat others. And that stems from the high level of selfishness that permeates our society. In many minds, it’s okay to treat others like garbage, but Lord forbid anybody treating us the same way. Remember the T&T saying; ‘do so ent like so.’ Sadly, this state of mind is very prevalent amongst the wealthy and those in power. Ah Friends, it’s time we start taking the way we treat others seriously, for what goes around comes around. As the Good Book makes a habit of saying from Genesis to Revelation; ‘whatever you sow you’ll reap.’ And that’s gospel! Oh my people, we can’t expect to mount a LOVE Revolution, a return to the God of our fathers, unless we show the practical side of LOVE: feeding the hungry, tending to the sick, helping the widows and orphans, caring for the poor. That’s the true test of Christianity! I’ll remind us again that Christianity is an action movement! Jesus went around mostly DOING good everyday, not simply talking it, like we tend to do nowadays. That’s what LOVING your neighbour as yourself means; wanting them to be as comfortable as you are. Oh Friends, there’s far too much poverty, starvation, sickness, greed and oppression in our world to ever say that we’re keeping the second great commandment. And it’s not a new commandment either, because way back in the wilderness, the Lord told Moses to inform the Israelites: ‘but thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.’ (Lev.19:18b) So Jesus was just reiterating the centuries old directive of His Father. And Bruh Paul, in talking to the Roman church about walking in LOVE, had this to say. ‘Owe no man anything, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law. For this Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill (murder), Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended (summed up) in this saying, namely, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. LOVE worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13: 8-10) Ah mih breddren, I don’t know what else to say to get us to accept ourselves with all our frailties, and be as good to ourselves as we are to others. It’s a veritable conundrum: we need to LOVE others like we LOVE ourselves, but far too often we don’t really LOVE ourselves the way we ought to. And until we do, our world can’t really get on the right track, so let’s ponder these things nuh, look deeply at the relationship we have with ourselves and then try to bring it into line with what we know our God desires for us. I sure hope this all makes sense. But if it doesn’t, then I hope you all are wise enough to pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Much LOVE!…until the engine of the LOVE Train is firing on all cylinders…the LOVE Revolution won’t be as effective as it ought…
SCRIP-BITS 