We are all called to have clarity about love. We are to order properly our love.
In a foundational way, we are to love ourselves. As a prerequisite to loving others, we must love ourselves. If we do not love ourselves, we cannot love others. When we love ourselves, then we can love our neighbor as ourselves,* as Jesus instructed us to do.
When we love ourselves, we are grateful to God. Loving ourselves, we thank God that He made us. First and foremost, we are called to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength.**
In relation with people, we stand on a solid foundation if we love ourselves. Loving ourselves, we are equipped to love others.
We are to love our families. We are to honor our father and our mother.***
We are to love not only our friends, but we are to expand our horizons and love our enemies.**** Giving love in response to those who mistreat us, we can convert our enemies by so afflicting their consciences that it is as if we are heaping hot coals upon their heads.*****
Confronting hate, if we react with hate, we become what we hate. If we hate, we become hate.
Encountering hate, if we reply with love, we become what we love. If we love, we become love.
God is love,****** and so God loves us. Do we love God? If we love, we welcome God into our hearts. If we love, we embrace God. Let us love, and turn to God, and embrace Him. Amen.
* Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14
** Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
*** Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:3; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:2
**** Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27
***** Proverbs 25:21-22; Romans 12:20
****** 1 John 4:8,16
In a foundational way, we are to love ourselves. As a prerequisite to loving others, we must love ourselves. If we do not love ourselves, we cannot love others. When we love ourselves, then we can love our neighbor as ourselves,* as Jesus instructed us to do.
When we love ourselves, we are grateful to God. Loving ourselves, we thank God that He made us. First and foremost, we are called to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength.**
In relation with people, we stand on a solid foundation if we love ourselves. Loving ourselves, we are equipped to love others.
We are to love our families. We are to honor our father and our mother.***
We are to love not only our friends, but we are to expand our horizons and love our enemies.**** Giving love in response to those who mistreat us, we can convert our enemies by so afflicting their consciences that it is as if we are heaping hot coals upon their heads.*****
Confronting hate, if we react with hate, we become what we hate. If we hate, we become hate.
Encountering hate, if we reply with love, we become what we love. If we love, we become love.
God is love,****** and so God loves us. Do we love God? If we love, we welcome God into our hearts. If we love, we embrace God. Let us love, and turn to God, and embrace Him. Amen.
* Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14
** Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
*** Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:3; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:2
**** Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27
***** Proverbs 25:21-22; Romans 12:20
****** 1 John 4:8,16
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