Try to love as God does

At a time when society (which is made up of individuals, living as a community) is crying out to support one another, we seem intent on doing the opposite — putting our own needs or wants first, at the expense of the welfare of others.

Unfortunately, this is not a new problem which has just been caused by COVID and it will not just ‘go away’ when the virus is finally brought under control.

The underlying cause of the actions which we, as individuals, use to hurt each other are brought about by the selfishness which tells us that our rights are more important than anyone elses.

These actions are not only hurtful, but inevitably lead to a breakdown in the very relationships that we, as human beings, were created to enjoy and support, for mutual benefit.

The results of these selfish actions we see around us are the very reason that Jesus Christ was born into this world — to bring a remedy for the damage done.

The command from Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39 that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves, is a reminder that God places ultimate value on relationships.

But Jesus didn’t just come to ‘‘tell us again’’ what is required, He came to do something about it.

The Apostle John reminds us of the work Jesus came to do:

‘‘This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.’’ (1 John 4:9,10).

Only by allowing Jesus to change our hearts, can we really love as God loves.

~ Contributed by Bruce Driver from the Uniting Church, on behalf of the Combined Churches of Deniliquin.