Give Yourself to Others …

Here is a question I’ve been contemplating a little in the past few days:

• Why is it so hard for us to love one another the way Jesus loved us?

One obvious explanation is that we don’t really understand — or is it don’t really accept — the way that Jesus loved us. And I believe there’s a lot too that. Especially since he loves us inspite of ourselves, rather than because of ourselves. And in this culture, especially, aren’t we supposed to have a reason to love someone?

But I also think there’s a reason that’s even a little more basic, a step even more fundamental: It’s hard for us to love one another because we’re too self-centered. We care more about ourselves than some one else.

It’s more important for me to be right than for you to be right.

It’s more important for me to get my way than for you to get your way.

After all, don’t I know better than you do anyway?

Let’s face it, I’m writing this blog, you aren’t. Therefore my point-of-view is more significant, more important, more … whatever.

I hope you recognize how far my tongue is sticking into my cheek during these last few comments.

But I do believe that our self-centeredness is central to our inability to love one another. Each of us is messed up in one way or another. Each of fails to love as Jesus loved. Which means each of us is undeserving of a righteous position before God.

But God’s grace and forgiveness extends equally to each of us.

Thus, no one has any inherent right before God to consider himself or herself more important or more righteous than another. We’re all guilty of something.

So, in the words of a friend of mine, get over yourself. Then, maybe each of us can learn a little more clearly how to love one another the way Jesus loves us.