Do you care?
The world that we live in today appears to be very self focused. People generally are looking out for themselves and perhaps their families. How much do we care for those around us? How much do we help others or bear their burdens with them? How thoughtful are we towards others, considering what they are experiencing?
PHILIPPIANS 2 : 1 - 4 NKJV
2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
In verse 4 Paul tells us to look out for others. In verse 1 you will notice that there are 4 ifs. In other words we are not able to look out for others unless the ifs are fulfilled in us. If Christ has first consoled us, if we are comforted by His love, if we have fellowship with His spirit, if we have received His affection and mercy. Therefore should we be burdened if we are not so genuinely caring? No. When we recognize that something is lacking in us we can ask God to give us what is lacking. We can ask Him why we do not care as He wants us to and get understanding. It is no good looking at scripture and feeling that it is God's burden of expectation on us. If we could do it ourselves we would not need God. That is why He gets all of the Glory, Honor and praise.
JOHN 13 : 34 - 35 NKJV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In verse 34 Jesus is telling His disciples that He has a new commandment for them to obey, but does it come with a burden? No, because Jesus himself has already demonstrated it to them and has said to them, treat one another in the same way that I have treated you. Therefore for us to love in the way that Jesus wants us to love we must first learn how by experiencing that love from Jesus Himself. How important is this commandment? Look at verse 35 for the answer. All will know that you are disciples of Christ if you love one another in His way. Are you then a disciple if you do not? Commandments are not optional, but they are easy to fulfill when you know the way. God does not expect us to immediately know how to care for others, but His desire is that we will want to learn how and that we will first seek Him that He may demonstrate it to us. It is best that we do not try and love our own way, because we have been educated by the world. That is why He says, love one another as I have loved you.
1 CORINTHIANS 13 : 4 - 7 NKJV
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Can we just be perfect in love? I know that I can not be without Christ. If we are going to love as Jesus Christ loves, we need Him to teach us how, and that takes time, time that He is prepared to wait for us to get it. It begins with us asking Him to teach us.
1 JOHN 2 : 27 NKJV
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
In verse 27 the anointing that believers in Jesus Christ receive is The Holy Spirit. If one has received The Holy Spirit into their Heart, then that one can learn all things from God and can therefore obey God just as He has taught them how to obey. If someone patiently and thoroughly teaches you how to do something, then it is easy. God does not impose burdens on His disciples, but he takes them away and makes it understandable and therefore easy. We however have a part to play and that is perseverance. When we see our failures we can learn from them if we ask The Holy Spirit why we have failed and how we can overcome. If we do, God promises that He will teach us in His way.
PHILIPPIANS 2 : 1 - 4 NKJV
2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
In verse 4 Paul tells us to look out for others. In verse 1 you will notice that there are 4 ifs. In other words we are not able to look out for others unless the ifs are fulfilled in us. If Christ has first consoled us, if we are comforted by His love, if we have fellowship with His spirit, if we have received His affection and mercy. Therefore should we be burdened if we are not so genuinely caring? No. When we recognize that something is lacking in us we can ask God to give us what is lacking. We can ask Him why we do not care as He wants us to and get understanding. It is no good looking at scripture and feeling that it is God's burden of expectation on us. If we could do it ourselves we would not need God. That is why He gets all of the Glory, Honor and praise.
JOHN 13 : 34 - 35 NKJV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In verse 34 Jesus is telling His disciples that He has a new commandment for them to obey, but does it come with a burden? No, because Jesus himself has already demonstrated it to them and has said to them, treat one another in the same way that I have treated you. Therefore for us to love in the way that Jesus wants us to love we must first learn how by experiencing that love from Jesus Himself. How important is this commandment? Look at verse 35 for the answer. All will know that you are disciples of Christ if you love one another in His way. Are you then a disciple if you do not? Commandments are not optional, but they are easy to fulfill when you know the way. God does not expect us to immediately know how to care for others, but His desire is that we will want to learn how and that we will first seek Him that He may demonstrate it to us. It is best that we do not try and love our own way, because we have been educated by the world. That is why He says, love one another as I have loved you.
1 CORINTHIANS 13 : 4 - 7 NKJV
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Can we just be perfect in love? I know that I can not be without Christ. If we are going to love as Jesus Christ loves, we need Him to teach us how, and that takes time, time that He is prepared to wait for us to get it. It begins with us asking Him to teach us.
1 JOHN 2 : 27 NKJV
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
In verse 27 the anointing that believers in Jesus Christ receive is The Holy Spirit. If one has received The Holy Spirit into their Heart, then that one can learn all things from God and can therefore obey God just as He has taught them how to obey. If someone patiently and thoroughly teaches you how to do something, then it is easy. God does not impose burdens on His disciples, but he takes them away and makes it understandable and therefore easy. We however have a part to play and that is perseverance. When we see our failures we can learn from them if we ask The Holy Spirit why we have failed and how we can overcome. If we do, God promises that He will teach us in His way.
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