others selfish thing to do! Obviously you never intended to be selfish, but you see where I'm going. You can't do something positively for someone else without regard for yourself, it's quite literally impossible. Donate to a charity, give to a child in need, help and old lady cross the street! You'll walk away feel great about yourself! You are so selfish for helping that single mother feed her children this week!
I believe love is a choice, not an emotion or feeling. When people "fall in love" I don't believe it's love at all, simply a chemical reaction. Love is an action you choose to do on a daily basis, it's not an easy thing to do and that's why it's natural for people to put their own needs and wants above others, because no one wants to do the hard thing.
John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
If love was a feeling, and not an action that you choose to make, than Jesus wouldn't have commanded it. Love isn't a warm fuzzy emotion in your heart, it's a difficult decision you have to make every day.
Matthew 5:43, 44
43"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
LOVE YOUR ENEMY!
I'm not saying to be fake. Don't pretend to like someone because the bible says to. But if you actually choose to practice the behavior of love, not only will it be difficult, but also rewarding. You can greatly dislike someone, but if are behaving towards them in love you and your relationship with them and others around you will change. But don't confuse love with trust, obviously you have a reason for them being your enemy...at least I hope you do.
Now, if you're thinking, "Love? But I don't love them, how can I act like I do? "
Well, first of all, get the modern day notion of love out of your head! It's wrong! You don't have to shower them with gifts and compliments. But, you do have to follow these rules.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Yes, that is a tired scripture! We've heard it read thousands of times at weddings, in church, and God knows where else. But, it's still relevant and true, and it still is the best example of how to "love one another" or "love your neighbor as yourself" or love your family, girlfriend/boyfriend, friend, spouse, or even your enemy!
So, when you think of love think of these rules:
#1) Be patient
#2) Don't be jealous ("Seriously? I can't be jealous?" Yes! Contrary to what you've be taught, that is not the way a loving person behaves, also it just makes you look suspicious.)
#3) No bragging ( stop talking so much about how amazing you are! If you're really that amazing you wont need to tell everyone, they'll do it for you. )
#4) Do not be arrogant ( that's right, you might be pretty cool, but there's always someone better than you. Learn to be humble. Yes, you can be confident, that is allowed.)
#5) Don't be rude (self explanatory, I hope.)
#6) Don't insist on your own way (life isn't all about what you get. It's great to get everything you want, whenever you want, but don't expect it. Plus you just look like a spoiled brat when you do.
#7) Don't be irritable ( this goes along with the "don't be a spoiled brat" thing. When you're always irritable, or cranky, you seem like a brat. You don't need to be constantly "happy" or smiley, but be an even tempered person. Don't be high strung.)
#8) Don't be bitter ( holding bitterness, or resentment inside can be damaging to the people around you, even the people you're not bitter towards. It's also very damaging to your own health, physically and spiritually. Don't go to sleep angry! That's something I take very seriously! That's not something I mess around with, you may think it doesn't matter, but it really does. If you are angry or bitter with someone, you absolutely need to resolve it before you sleep that night. I don't mean make them apologize, I mean YOU forgive them. Don't worry about what they do. This is not about winning, this is about keeping your mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing intact.)
#9) Don't be happy with misbehavior ( I've overheard guys talking about the girl they were with last night, not their significant other, and the guy they were talking to basically congratulates them. Yes, the cheating itself is wrong, but the guy encouraging the cheating is the one I'm annoyed with right now. "Love...does not rejoice at wrongdoing.")
#10) Be happy with honesty and good (Self explanatory! Be happy with and encourage the right thing)
#11) Handle everything that is thrown at you ( I don't mean don't ask for help, that is a necessary thing sometimes. But handle your business! Take care of your life, don't be lazy and expect others to deal with it!)
#12) Believe in everything ( I don't mean unicorns, I mean have faith and be positive.)
#13) Be hopeful in everything ( again, don't be negative. It's better to hope for everything and get only half of it, than to hope for nothing and get all of it. Confused? Half of everything is a lot, all of nothing is still nothing.)
#14) Endure through every tough situation (don't give up easily.)
All of these behaviors aren't easy. But work on one at a time. But, be warned if you ask God for any one of these things, you may be surprised you wont get exactly what you expected. Don't think if you ask for patients you'll suddenly be overwhelmed with the patients of a Saint. God will throw everything at you to help the patients grow in you. So be careful what you ask for, unless you're ready to deal with hardships that would test even the most patient of us.
Always remember Love is a verb!
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Yes, that is a tired scripture! We've heard it read thousands of times at weddings, in church, and God knows where else. But, it's still relevant and true, and it still is the best example of how to "love one another" or "love your neighbor as yourself" or love your family, girlfriend/boyfriend, friend, spouse, or even your enemy!
So, when you think of love think of these rules:
#1) Be patient
#2) Don't be jealous ("Seriously? I can't be jealous?" Yes! Contrary to what you've be taught, that is not the way a loving person behaves, also it just makes you look suspicious.)
#3) No bragging ( stop talking so much about how amazing you are! If you're really that amazing you wont need to tell everyone, they'll do it for you. )
#4) Do not be arrogant ( that's right, you might be pretty cool, but there's always someone better than you. Learn to be humble. Yes, you can be confident, that is allowed.)
#5) Don't be rude (self explanatory, I hope.)
#6) Don't insist on your own way (life isn't all about what you get. It's great to get everything you want, whenever you want, but don't expect it. Plus you just look like a spoiled brat when you do.
#7) Don't be irritable ( this goes along with the "don't be a spoiled brat" thing. When you're always irritable, or cranky, you seem like a brat. You don't need to be constantly "happy" or smiley, but be an even tempered person. Don't be high strung.)
#8) Don't be bitter ( holding bitterness, or resentment inside can be damaging to the people around you, even the people you're not bitter towards. It's also very damaging to your own health, physically and spiritually. Don't go to sleep angry! That's something I take very seriously! That's not something I mess around with, you may think it doesn't matter, but it really does. If you are angry or bitter with someone, you absolutely need to resolve it before you sleep that night. I don't mean make them apologize, I mean YOU forgive them. Don't worry about what they do. This is not about winning, this is about keeping your mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing intact.)
#9) Don't be happy with misbehavior ( I've overheard guys talking about the girl they were with last night, not their significant other, and the guy they were talking to basically congratulates them. Yes, the cheating itself is wrong, but the guy encouraging the cheating is the one I'm annoyed with right now. "Love...does not rejoice at wrongdoing.")
#10) Be happy with honesty and good (Self explanatory! Be happy with and encourage the right thing)
#11) Handle everything that is thrown at you ( I don't mean don't ask for help, that is a necessary thing sometimes. But handle your business! Take care of your life, don't be lazy and expect others to deal with it!)
#12) Believe in everything ( I don't mean unicorns, I mean have faith and be positive.)
#13) Be hopeful in everything ( again, don't be negative. It's better to hope for everything and get only half of it, than to hope for nothing and get all of it. Confused? Half of everything is a lot, all of nothing is still nothing.)
#14) Endure through every tough situation (don't give up easily.)All of these behaviors aren't easy. But work on one at a time. But, be warned if you ask God for any one of these things, you may be surprised you wont get exactly what you expected. Don't think if you ask for patients you'll suddenly be overwhelmed with the patients of a Saint. God will throw everything at you to help the patients grow in you. So be careful what you ask for, unless you're ready to deal with hardships that would test even the most patient of us.
Always remember Love is a verb!
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