I'm sure that many would assume that we need no instruction on how to hate. It seems that hate is all around us. People hate the government. People hate politics. People hate religion. People hate each other. People hate getting cut off in traffic. People hate to wait. People hate the way they look. People hate not having any money. Hate seems to come easy. It seems to be the way of life in this hour.
John, the alleged writer of five books of the New Testament, has been called the Apostle of Love. Polycarp, one of John's disciples wrote that when John was too old to walk, his friends would carry him on a stretcher into the meetings. As they would walk up the aisle, John would look about and say over and over again, "Children, love one another."
Could it be that the true way to a healthy self-esteem and a powerful love of self is completely contrary to our natural way of thinking? Might the tide of self-loathing that is causing the eating disorders, depressions, suicides, school shootings, and drug addictions be stemmed if we began to try Jesus' method of love? Is it worth a try in your own life?
Do we really believe that Jesus, the master teacher, was using some form of hidden psychology with His statement about loving your neighbor? If so, would He not have taken time here--or at least somewhere--to explain the necessity of self love, and what it might look like? By following this line of thinking, we have only added insult to our ignorance.
Popular psychology introduced a concept in the late '70s that swept through society at light speed. Once people in the Church got hold of it, it became a tsunami that crashed through at warp speed, taking down long-held theological concepts. Now, we are beginning to see the fruit of this lie throughout society.
Do you see the world through the eyes of love? It has often been said that the "Fruit of the Spirit" listed in Paul's letter to the Galatians is only love. Everything after that--joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control--are simply descriptors of that love.
Dale has been sharing the practical application of the truths from the Bible for more than 40 years. He has often said, "People know how to shout the victory on Sunday, but can't figure out how to handle Monday." This blog is an attempt to help God's people on that journey.
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