DO UNTO OTHERS.
(Mat 6:12 CEV) Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.
Man is a social being. We were made for relationships. Our souls can only thrive in healthy connection with others around us. Man is also possessive. We love authority and power. We love independence and will resist vehemently any action that seeks to restrict or restrain us and rob us of our freedom. This seemingly conflicting desires in man creates a world where relationships become very delicate and difficult to manage or handle. On one side, man wants companionship and the pleasure of dependence on a trusted and loved one, on the other hand, he wants independence and the freedom to do as he pleases. The ultimate aim of peaceful co-existence is to find a balance. I call these opposing sides the ME and YOU concepts. The ME concept seeks its own good and satisfaction. It delights in personal progress and advancement. The ME factor looks for situations and conditions that brings self satisfaction and little pain. The ME concepts is selfish and self seeking. The YOU concept works hard to provide for the other party. It delights in bringing happiness and peace to others. It loves to give and support, to contribute to the betterment of others. The YOU concepts is selfless and gracious. There is yet another concept that balances these two; I call it the WE concept. This concept seeks to provide a balanced outlook to life. It delights in promoting equality and equity. It seeks to give as much as it gets and support as long as it can afford. The WE concept is fair and balanced.
Everyone possesses these three concepts and at any moment in time, one concept is dominant. Different people exhibit different concepts when faced with the similar situations. Which concept is dominant is based on personal convictions, personality and character.
For example, someone may keep for himself a loaf of bread when a beggar asks. Another may share the loaf and yet another may give the whole loaf away. The first person showed the ME concept, the second, the WE concept and the third, the YOU concept.
In the Lord’s Prayer and other parables in the Bible, Jesus taught his disciples to practice the WE concept. He taught them to forgive as they are forgiven and to love their neighbors as themselves. He encouraged them to forgive if they wanted God to forgive them their sins.
However Jesus practiced the YOU concept. All his life, he gave without receiving and loved without being loved back. He forgave although he didn’t need any forgiveness and even when people rejected and offended him he forgave and continued to love them. His grace and mercy is given freely for all. He taught his disciples the WE concept when he knew them to be weak and immature. Now he calls us to practice the YOU concept. He calls us to love unconditionally and forgive because we are the children of God.
(Luke 6:27-35 CEV) This is what I say to all who will listen to me: Love your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you.
Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you.
If someone slaps you on one cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try to keep back your shirt.
Give to everyone who asks and don't ask people to return what they have taken from you.
Treat others just as you want to be treated.
If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them.
If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them.
If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.
But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back. Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel.
The WE concept is the middle way. The ME concept is the low way. The YOU concept is the high way. Which will you walk?
Our desire is to be like Jesus. To love like he did. To treat others better than ourselves. To give not because we will be given back but to give because God loves a cheerful giver. If you want to live an ordinary life, then the WE factor is good enough. You can take the middle way.
But if you want to live like Christ, to experience that glorious life he promised, then the high way is the only way for you. Allow the Holy Spirit to grow the YOU concept in your spirit. It is the perfect way.
God bless you.
Sam Tinagyei 2011
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