Love!

Love!

For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”
GALATIANS 5:14 AMP

We live in a world where pursuing selfish interests no longer look bad. We have been taught that the first law of nature is to love myself; then I can develop the capacity to love other people in return. Unfortunately, this argument does not say anything about how i can love myself first, and offers so many conflicting arguments that it would be difficult to know what works. Could it be that this worldly principles don't work, simply because they ignore maybe the most important part of the argument: my heart and my relationship with God.

Let it be clear: no man on earth can by sheer force of will obey God's commandments easily. The natural man cannot, becasue God's instructions go against everything the natural man craves. However, it was God's intention to relate with man, and that was the basis of the commandments. Please note that they are called 'commandments' not opinions. God wants to relate with us, but he has standards of behaviour and we will only enjoy the fullness of the blessings he has for us when we adhere to these commands.

These commandments cover practically every sphere of human activity and relationships, and the foundation of them all is summed up in today's extract. If I truly love my fellow man, I will seek his/her good. If i truly love people, I will pursue peace. All God desires through his commands is a mininum standard of behaviour, and I fulfil God's law simply by showing this love. There is no law on earth that can criminalise love and there are very cheap and easy ways to show love, but which will leave eternal impressions on the hearts of the recipients.

So, am I all about myself first, or do I have a heart for other people? Can I trust God to sort out my present whilst I get busy at impacting other people with the love of God that has already made an impression on my own heart? Eternal questions, with eternal consequences. His time of favour is here