“You must love others as much as yourself.” Mark 12:31 Living Bible
“You add value to others when you recognize how highly God values them.”
My thoughts today are about “love – the Jesus kind.”
That is quite a lofty achievement, isn’t it? “Loving others as much as you love yourself” would be far easier to obey if everyone were as easy to love as some others are. I think that is why Jesus did not make the command about the other person; He made it all about you. God knows that you were created with a healthy self-esteem, and though that is a bit complicated because of each individual’s natural condition – theologians call that “falleness” – most everyone still has a good dose of appreciating and preserving themselves, some a little too much really.
I read a lovely phrase about the practical aspect of loving others – “you only love others when you add value to their lives.” Isn’t that what you are trying to do for yourself, adding value? You want to be better and do better.
You invest in a good education for yourself so that you will have more options and fulfillment in what you do, with a greater chance for success and financial security. You choose a spouse that will enrich and enhance your life. You select a neighborhood and schools for your children that will better insure their safety and academic achievement. You try to eat wisely and exercise a bit to insure better health and longevity. Isn’t all of that about adding value to your life?
How then can you love others and add value to their lives? Simply stated, it is by placing a higher value on them, the way you value yourself – thinking of them as highly as you think of yourself – treating them as well as you treat yourself – speaking of them as kindly as you speak of yourself – wanting the best for them as you desire the best for yourself – and rejoicing with and for them when they rejoice.
“That the members may have the same care for one another. And if one suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with them.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 NAS. When you rejoice equally for another’s success as for your own, and when you empathize with their sufferings as you would struggle with your own, then you “love others as much as yourself.” You add value to others when you recognize how highly God values them, and treat them accordingly.
Maybe Jesus stated this principle most practically and plainly, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, as I have loved you.” John 13:34-35 NKJV. You are only asked to give others what you have been given by God, to regard others as God regards you, and to behave toward others as is God’s manner with you. A frequent and favorite saying of mine is this: “love to be authentic must be practical and observable!” Is your regard for others practical and observable?
My prayer for you today is that you learn to value others as God and others value you.