True Love
shown to those that don’t deserve it in our own eyes.
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We live in a world that is constantly in search of more and more self love. But what does self love mean, really? And what can it teach us about how we are to love our God and our neighbor?
First, I think to truly understand how we are to love our neighbor, we have to first take some time to think about how we love ourselves. Every day we wake up and probably make some coffee and food for ourselves. We don’t ask if we are hungry or thirsty, we just do it. We probably then move to the bathroom to get ready. We hop in the shower to clean ourselves, to take care of our bodies, and sometimes to just boost our mood. Most of what we think about doing for ourselves to make our lives worthwhile we process subconsciously. We don’t tend to question if we are worth feeding, clothing, and being happy. We assume that we are worth it—rightly so.
But how often do we think about helping our neighbor as a call to give what we don’t want? Have a lot of extra food in the house that it turns out you don’t want? Give it to those in need! That is what we think. We don’t start our trip to the store with the thought of getting the very best for our neighbors or those in need—they might as well be synonyms. Rather, we are inclined to give them the scraps.
I get it, it’s hard to give in a world that is uncertain. Sometimes a simple trip to the store feels like pulling teeth because of our finances. But if I am going to splurge on myself, and nobody else, what does it say about me?
I don’t know what the answer is, really. But I am more often than not convicted by the fact that perhaps my love for God and neighbor isn’t what it is supposed to be. I don’t want to give up the things I love. I want to be able to have them, to hold them close. It hurts me to think about letting go of certain things. Deep down, though, I know that my God is bigger than anything I could ever possibly buy or procure in my life. My neighbor is worth more than anything in any store. Love itself is worth more than any dollar amount.
So onward we go, trudging along in our walk with Christ. Like Jacob, we limp forward trusting that what we are walking towards is worthwhile. Sometimes we fall short. Sometimes we lie to our own God. Sometimes we try to hide. The good news is that in all of those situations, our God is still with us and capable of turning the most dire of situations into a moment of hope.
Today my challenge to you is to find a way to love your neighbor. One day the things you have will fade away, but the love that you can show them thanks to the love your God has shown to you has the ability to last forever. A dead flower can’t make another dead flower bloom. Only after that flower has come back to life can it hope to bring life back into the world.
Truly love someone today.
Thanks for sharing love!