Something to ponder <3
This morning my devotional featured a writing based on this verse in Galatians.
For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Galatians 5: 14 & 15
The author of the devotion pointed out that God expects us to love ourselves. Anyone who looks in the mirror and does not like the person looking back will most likely treat others with the same animosity.
This loving is not to be confused with those who are pompously filled with self-righteousness; who are prideful and arrogant and view themselves as better than most, if not all.
No. This is a godly form of love and respect for the fact that we are created in the image of God, with unique personalities and gifts and talents that are ordained by Him for the good of ourselves and others.
The devotion pointed out that this “love” is expressed in:
- Taking care of our needs in appropriate ways
- Extending grace and kindness to our humanity
- Showing mercy in our thoughts and words about ourselves
The author goes on to say that as we love ourselves in this way, we then extend the same towards others that we encounter in our daily walk. Our neighbors, according to Jesus’ teaching, is anyone with whom we might come in contact with through work, church, school, organizations/clubs, recreation or just passing as we travel along the way.
We cannot do this without the help of the Holy Spirit.
As I look back at the Galatians passage, I think of the way the “biting and devouring” of others steals joy and peace from everyone around the ones in conflict.
For me, I realize that when I am feeling ungracious towards someone and my thoughts are not kind or merciful, when I am not concerned about the needs of those my life touches, the first place to go is the mirror and then to God.
We live in a highly critical culture that has forgotten the art of self-reflection and repentance.
Blessings friends….much better to chew on this passage today than your negative thoughts about yourself and others.
Remember – you are deeply loved and capable of loving deeply <3