I must love myself a lot because I sure do my best to take care of me – walking daily to keep my heart strong, doing mind and brain exercises to stay sound, spending time with God so I stay spiritually fit, eating healthy foods (most of the time) and taking nutritional supplements to subsidize what I don’t. But, the question is do I love others as much as ME? Thanks, Lord, for that one – I think! That “Thou Shalt”…..love your neighbor as you love yourself -- one!
Yesterday, my blog was about "taking the High Road" of living out the love of Jesus to those around us. That “high road” way is a radical love-walk-and-talk life where kindness, love, joy and peace rules. That means we are lovingly different -- extending His love freely and unconditionally to others.
After I posted my blog about "taking the high road", I read my devotional for yesterday. It also spoke about "taking the "high road" by never returning evil for evil – no matter what someone says or does to us. For example, when a relative makes a hurtful comment, rather than retaliate with a nasty comment or text back -- "take the high road"! It's not easy taking the high road, but with Jesus’ help, we can conquer evil with love.
I’m apologizing for the times I’ve allowed myself to look at others and think “How could they? Why would they? I would NEVER make that choice!” Father, please forgive me, because “but, for the grace of God – there go I”. Luke 6:37 says “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven…” I have no right to judge because I don’t know how it feels to be rejected, hated, or considered untrustworthy because of the color of my skin. I don't know how it feels to be hated for merely existing.
I have no right to judge because I don’t know the struggle of not identifying with my gender. I was born with the chromosomes of a woman and I can’t imagine wanting to be anything but a woman. I have no right to judge because I don’t know the frustration and helplessness driven by an addiction. I’ve never been burdened with an all-consuming desire to consume a substance over and over again while knowing that doing so could kill me and destroy my family.
I DO KNOW, i’s time for us to connect with our brothers and sisters in this human race, to remember our need for each other, to act upon loving our neighbors in the spirit that Jesus asks us to love in Mark 12:30-32. It should stir us into action every time we’re tempted to turn away from trying to understand and comfort another. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
It’s difficult to wrap our minds around the chaos and the actions of our fellow man, but it’s not about the why, who, what, when and where. It’s about God's love running through our veins, our hearts and our minds because LOVE conquers all.
