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2000 Soap Box Archives The Other Commandment Just before Jesus went to the cross he gave his disciples another commandment, to love one another. With the exception of the commandment to love God with all our hearts, the others are all wrapped up in the new one that Jesus gave. If we love one another we will not steal from each other, kill each other, or sleep with our neighbor’s wife. We will honor our parents and keep all the other commandments just by simply keeping this one. It really came home to me that what is lacking in this world is love. When a lot of things which are done under the guise of love and caring are motivated by basic instincts. Social programs which are instituted for political gain have nothing to do with love and actually smacks of servitude. So many of what should be our finer endeavors are fueled by profit not love. Even in the Christian community where love is supposed to abound we have some serious shortcomings. We sometimes become so critical of other people that we tend to forget that the first thing we’re supposed to do is love that person, not judge them. Are you afraid to tell someone you love them? I don’t mean your spouse or your kids, I mean a friend or associate. Are you afraid that you’ll be looked upon as silly and weak if you speak those three little words? Are you afraid that the world will view you as foolish? Well, you’re right they probably will, but who cares. Try it, just think of someone that you love and just walk right up and say, “John, I don’t think that I've ever told you this, but I love you, not in some twisted sexual way, but as a brother loves a brother.” It may seem a little strange the first couple of times but it gets easier and easier. I tell people that I love them all the time, and I do and if the world wants to make something out of it they can talk to God about it. It’s his commandment, not mine. I'm just simply trying to follow it. Another thing I do is hug people. There is nothing in this world which takes the place of a good hug. Everybody needs one once in a while. There’s something healing in hugging. I've hugged saints and sinners, bikers, bankers, lawyers, liberals, dopers, cowboys and a young man dying with AIDS. I even hugged a president one time. You see, I believe that love can be contagious. I believe that if we really and sincerely show love for others that we can start an epidemic, and oh what a wonderful disease it would be. If you’re having trouble understanding what I'm talking about let me give you a good starting place. The next time you look at someone, don’t think about how that person’s dressed or how they wear their hair or what color they are or what social strata they belong to. Look at that person as someone who Jesus spent six hours on the cross for, in unimaginable agony that they might have eternal life. Now if God loved that person that much, who are we to criticize and judge? Let’s try to develop tolerance and patience with each other. You’d be surprised how far a little courtesy can go. Even if someone is being rude to you, as hard as it is, if you’ll be polite and courteous to that person you’ll feel much better for it. Can we try something? You and me? Let’s go out today with the thought of keeping that all important commandment to love one another. Let’s take that attitude on every drive, into every business meeting, in everything we do and every relationship we have. Try it for a month sincerely and regularly and see what happens. I think you’ll be surprised. Let me hear from you on this after the month is over. God
Bless
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