Love's Bottom Line

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“Never get revenge. Never hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the LORD”       Leviticus 19:18 (GW)

“I'm giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have
loved you."    John 13:34 (GW)

Do you know the “golden rule”, “treat others the way you want them to treat you”?  Who can argue with that?  It’s terrific advice.   How often do you think about that with your husband or wife? Obeying this rule would go a long way in our relationships wouldn’t it?

The golden rule is a little bit like Leviticus 19:18, “love your neighbor as you love yourself”.   They have one important constant that they share, which is that the central standard of behavior is me, myself and I.   But that’s not a good standard.  If what I like is the standard for how I treat others, well, what I like is to be pampered, cajoled, to served endless goodies while I watch football (which Kathy actually does on Super Bowl Sunday – and no more!), told lies about how wonderfuI I am, and have nothing required of me.    That’s not a real good standard for building a loving relationship I don’t think.  

A higher standard would be to treat the other as the other desires to be treated.   But there is a yet even higher standard, the standard that Jesus instituted immediately after washing the disciples’ feet.

 

 

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