LOVING OTHERS AS OURSELVES

LOVING OTHERS AS OURSELVES

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself. —I Samuel 20:17

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. —I Samuel 20:42

            Oh, to have a friendship with someone like David did with Jonathan.  They had a loving friendship.  We are told that Jonathan loved David “as he loved himself.”  It is wonderful to have a friend who loves you like that!  And it is also wonderful to be a friend that loves someone like that.

            Sometimes friends, even in the church, are superficial friends.  How many times has a “friend” told you that they love you and then they leave and you never see them again… unless you run into them at the store or another place common to where people go?  Have we told someone we love them and then fade from their lives and never see them unless we run into them unintentionally?

            What friends do we truly love as we love ourselves?  May we first grow in our love for our Lord Jesus and then may we grow in our love toward others. 

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” —Philippians 4:5-8

            Yes, may we have this mindset of Jesus and “love because he first loved us” (I John 4:19).  What does that love look like?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.” —I Corinthians 13:4-8

            May we love others like that and be loved by others in the same way.  Thank You, Dear Father, that You love me like that.  May I love You and others in the same by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, so may it be.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viYe589KIcw&list=RDviYe589KIcw&start_radio=1