It's a commandment.
Love One Another
The Bible is revolutionary in many ways – especially in describing how we should treat one another. Jesus is very clear that trust, reconciliation, respect, and love for our neighbors (and enemies) is paramount for our walk with God.
Bob Lonac Matthew 5:23-24 makes it clear that we should reconcile our differences. That can be tough to do, which is why Jesus had to talk about it so clearly, so distinctly, and so many times.
Chapter 5 of my book, Live Large!, shares a personal look at what it means to love people who have hurt us. Check it out at shop.boblonac.com.
Love is a Commandment
It’s not a suggestion; it is a commandment. We are called to love one another.
Just look at these verses that command us to do just that:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
Honor one another above yourselves
Be of the same mind with one another
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you
Serve one another in love
Carry each other’s burdens
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Encourage one another and build each other up.
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling
We Were Created to Live in a Community
At the beginning of Genesis, we find the narrative of God creating man so that we may know ourselves. We were created to live in a community with each other.
Then God said, ‘Let us make man[h] in our image after our likeness.’
Note two important things in this verse. First, the word “man” used here means both male and female. Second, the use of the word “our” is a reference to the trinity. God has perfect fellowship within himself.
God made but one male and one female, that all the nations of men might know themselves to be made of one blood, descendants from one common stock, and might thereby be induced to love one another. God, having made them capable of transmitting the nature they had received, said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
We Must Honor One Another to Fulfill Our Potential
It is clear and unmistakable that to fulfill our potential, we should undoubtedly honor one another. There is no room for racism. There is no room for sexism. There is no room for any isms. I think you get the point.
All humans were created equal by God almighty and meant to live more fully by living in a relationship with those we know. It is practical and not theoretical.
Why don’t we do this? We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
What is the solution? Repent and receive the grace of God in Jesus.
When we do “come to our senses,” we head in a new direction. We continually discover who we indeed are, who our fellow humans are, and who God is. This is easier said than done. In reality, it is a daily spiritual battle.
The power to live this way comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Lead by Example. Practice Forgiving and Honoring One Another.
We influence other people immensely when we incarnate the verses at the beginning of this newsletter. We should not only read these verses; we should live our daily lives by putting them into practice.
I like the word practice. No one ever is perfect at execution, but we can continually get better. Start today.
