Love Your Neighbor
Good Morning,
In the Middle East, many girls are forced to be a partaker in an arranged marriage to some old guy she does not love; she is expected to act the part of a wife even though she does not want to. This practice is far from love and yet, it is exactly what the protesters and others are asking everyone to do by bowing down to them or surrendering the police departments to them.
Who ever liked someone more because someone forced you to be nice to them? I remember my mom telling my brother that he could only go to his friend's house to swim if he took me along. Being three years younger, I was unwanted, and I knew it. I did not want to go along! No one can compel people to feel anything; feelings are inside a person and have to come from within to be shown on the outside. When a law is passed or a political pressure is applied to MAKE someone appear to "like" someone else, it will not do anything but breed bitterness and resentment.
God invites us to love Him; He makes it the most important commandment, yet it is our choice and, sadly, one that most people ignore. God only wants sincere love.
Matthew 22:37 “Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart…"
When we are forced to do something or compelled to some fraudulent act of kindness out of fear, ridicule, or harm, we are only one steppingstone away from the oppression of the people in North Korea. They all salute rocket man like they saluted Hitler - out of fear. This is the very reason why God exalts freedom so much. God will not force you to like Him – it is your choice! Wise people seek to change the heart not the actions. If the heart changes, the actions will follow.
If we want to change the ugly treatment around us or hope to create a love for all, it will be done by changing the hearts of the people not the laws. Laws that force me to treat someone nicely will only make me bitter and resentful. When we lead a soul to Christ and give them the indwelling Holy Spirit, we will see the new nature take over; they will naturally begin loving others.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”
The answer is always the same: go, preach, win folks to Christ, get them involved in a Bible-preaching church, and they will learn to love others. They will do it naturally, not out of necessity.
Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
vs. 20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Pastor