I think Jesus really knew how to lay the smackdown when he declared the greatest commandment was to Love Our God with all our heart and mind and strength, and then to try and follow that up with loving our neighbour.
Am finding that second command difficult. When it comes down to certain archetypes of people, i have little patience and am fully tempted to spit out what I really think about them. I always think it's funny when some of my friends think I am patient. It's more like I am patient with the archetypes that do not bug me. But put me with anyone who I think is consciously stupid or a big phony wannabe or belligerent and obnoxious, and watch me cave into anger.
The true test of love is whether you are capable of loving your enemies.
Jesus really kicks ass in that department. Me much less so.
Oh for the grace of God to guard my tongue and for the Holy Spirit to quiet my soul! :(
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2 comments:
phwoar. your comment is like 10000 times the size of my post. heh.
but yes, thank you for the labour. :)
i struggle to answer this question these days - what exactly is the best way to love thy enemy? Pray for them definitely. Pray for your self - yup.
but the tough part, dealing with them face to face. How do you tell someone nicely that you think they are in the wrong without sounding all judgey-wudgey?
Have done that 2 or 3 times in my life. it never gets easier. and each situation seems to call for different conversational strategies, depending on types of relationship, gender, age-group etc
we should run such conversational skills in church. LOL "10 best ways to tell someone lovingly that they are being a bit of an arse" :P
Ye fjords! thought that looked rather familiar:
lookie here :-)
on your comment above, my best guess is that once we:
(1) are sure that this person is in the wrong (and it's not just us wanting person to conform to our personal view (vs God's view) of how people should behave);
(2) check our motives for telling people that they are wrong (feel better about ourselves by putting others down? look godly? biblical rebuke? because of love?);
(3) try our best to do so lovingly, taking into consideration the situation, your temperament, person's temperament etc);
(4) pray about it,
then our duty is not to please man nor get their approval but to please God and get his approval by doing the right thing.
tough love.
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