Love pt. 2 - from Josh Triestman
I want to continue with the theme Ryan started on the other day--Love.
I've talked many times about how love is sacrifice. When you love someone you give up of yourself for them; you give up your time, your pride, your money, your feelings, your desires--even your life (John 15:13). Who do we make that sacrifice for?
We've all heard that you should "love your neighbor as yourself." Well, in Matthew 5:44-48, Jesus says that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. He goes on and ask, if you "only love those who love you," then, "what reward do you have?" By loving our enemies, Jesus says it makes us "children of your Father in heaven for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and causes the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Could you imagine if God was like most of us? Treating people according to how we feel? We've all done God wrong, but nobody is walking around with a giant rain cloud following them all the time (if I was God, I know a few people that wouldn't get much sun).
When someone does us wrong, we more often than not refuse to show them kindness or consideration. But that is not love.
Love is not a feeling. Love is a decision to put your feelings aside and do what is right. It's easy to love someone who loves you, but will you be the child of God that you're called to be and love those who are mean to you, love those who persecute; will you love your enemy as yourself?
-Josh-
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