Walking The Walk

43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor [ a ] and hate your enemy.’ 44  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~Matthew 5: 43-48  Love is a central theme in the Bible--we've all heard it said that God is love.  So much of what we believe revolves around this idea of love.  But love is also a challenging topic for Christians, because we tend to put limits on it.  We want to love this group, but no that group.  We want to define how we love, who we...

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." ~1 Corinthians 13: 4-8  One of the things we don't always understand about agape love as it is described in the New Testament, is that love is a state of mind.  Chuck Swindoll describes agape love like this: "Agape implies permanence, unconditional charity, a decision more than a feeling, a commitment more than a relationship.  Agape means loving not for one's own benefit, but for the benefit of others."  Agape love is not based on relationships necessarily or even feelings.  It's an attitude.  It's a decision.  It's how we as Christians have decided each day to view the world and how we have decided to treat o...