He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. – 1 John 4:8
Apparently I touched a nerve when I reminded our readers that family falls into the definition of neighbors – love thy neighbor. Apparently, many have a love-hate relationship with family that is difficult to get past – not necessarily without reason. It is easier to feel kindly and to act kindly toward those we don’t come in contact with, whose tempers and prejudices do not rub against ours, whose interests don’t clash with ours, than to keep up an habitual, self-sacrificing, steady love toward those whose weaknesses and faults are always forcing themselves upon us.
How often do we see great wealth turn into philanthropy but at the same time notice that same individual is a poor employer and poor father/mother to his/her own children. Yet, God calls us to love not just those who remain afar, but to love with our whole heart those that get under our skin and in our face on a regular basis.
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