1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
It is easy to love those that love us. It is easy to forgive those that forgive us. But it seems to be a more difficult task to love those that count us as an enemy. Nevertheless, we must love others even when they do us wrong. Even when we are in the right, and they in the wrong. We must be willing to forgive, not only is the right thing to do, but it's what we must do in order to be forgiven ourselves.
Now don't get me wrong, love does not compromise what is right. But rather it rejoices in the truth. Never would I want God to hold me accountable for the wrongs I have put under the blood, so neither should I hold a grudge against others for how they have wronged me.
Our world today has the definition of love all mixed up. What is the Bible's definition of love?
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity (love) envieth not; charity (love) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1 Corinthians 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1 Corinthians 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity (love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Now the world today leaves at a great majority of this portion scripture in their perception of love, they tend to like the kindness and the total success of love. But tend to leave out the seeketh not her own, and rejoiceth not in iniquity. We do not love our family when we do not tell the truth, love is not to compromise truth just to make a relative feel better about him or her self. Love is to tell the truth even when it is not convenient.
But we must love at all times, even when we are not loved. It's our job! We must forgive at all times, even when others hold a grudge against us. We cannot change some people and their perception of us, but we can make sure we are in the right. And to be in the right, we must forgive and we must love.
Just think how much Christ loved us, let this mind be in you that was in him. The Bible says he esteemed others better than himself.
Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Jesus went as far as to say for us to pray for our enemies and for us to do good to them that despitfully use us. Well there is nothing greater you can do for your enemy than pray for them, and try to show them truth. So do just that, it will be pleasing unto God. What would we be without him?
-Bro. C
Acts 2:38, obey it!
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