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“Gotta pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues. And you know it don’t come easy.” If you’re old enough, you might remember those lyrics from a song that Ringo Starr made famous. And another verse said,“I don’t ask for much, I only want trust. And you know it don’t come easy.”
Those lyrics popped up in my brain this week when I thought about how God tells us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Because I see Islamist people doing despicable Islamist things. And I see illegal aliens, also known as illegal immigrants, doing other despicable illegal things. Then I see black Americans doing despicable things to white Americans. And white Americans doing despicable things to black Americans.
And I used the word despicable because it’s a very effective word to emphatically inflect audible disdain. Another great word is contemptible. So, I might use that as I continue. Because human beings seem hell-bent on making it impossible to love your neighbor these days.
So, it’s more important than ever to know how.
Love doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat, always turn the other cheek, or simply keep your mouth shut. In fact, most of the time, doing those things can show how you don’t love your neighbor as yourself as much as you think you do. Yeah, like I said, it don’t come easy.
The main thing to focus on, when it comes to loving someone you don’t feel like loving is how your words, deeds, and actions will affect them. And you do that by keeping an eternal perspective first. Everything else is secondary to that. After all, what’s more important? 80 years of living here on earth, with all its chaos and confusion? Or an eternity of perfection with the one true, living, loving Creator of Heaven and life? (here’s a hint…go with the second choice)
When you have an eternal perspective, you’ll understand how important it is to make sure your neighbor understands there IS a God, there IS a Heaven, and there IS a choice to be made here and now. If God wishes that “none should perish”, we should too. But to love your neighbor as yourself means you’re willing to share the whole Truth. Not just the peace, love, joy, and forgiveness.
You don’t do your neighbor a favor to automatically forgive him of something.
Not when he doesn’t even show remorse or ask for forgiveness. Remember, if Jesus doesn’t do it that way, you and I shouldn’t either.
You don’t truly love your neighbor, when you watch him drink himself to death. don’t be selfish. Speak up when you get the opportunity.
And you don’t truly care about your neighbor if you never say anything to him (or her)about Jesus?
If you truly want to do what God asks you to do, you have to truly love your neighbor as yourself. You don’t want your self to go to hell. So you shouldn’t want that for them. But, as I said, it don’t come easy. Because there are so many, let’s call them people for now, who could not care less what the one true, living, loving God of creation says or requires.
And that means they won’t care what you say either.
So, you can fully expect to stir up the demon soup when you tell them there is only one way to live forever in paradise with God. Just say the name, Jesus, and it will be like you just dumped a box of hot coals on their head. But here’s the thing. When they stand before God one day, and they will, they will be fully aware that someone showed them compassionate love and they despised and rejected it.
And you might hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
The truth is worth the risk.
So go ahead and pay your dues. One day you won’t have to sing the blues.
And from the song, Beat The world…
Every time you see the morning news
They talk about another killing.
It’s beyond my power to comprehend
How the taking of life could be thrilling.
Banish the dark side; live in God’s light.
Rise and shine and you can win this fight.
That’s the only way to beat the world at its own game.
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I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.
Stay tuned,
