Love One Another

I'm reading the book Jesus the Christ, by Talmage. It was a "goal" last year, for 2009, but I only got through about 1/2 of it, so I extended it to finish at the end of this year, 2010.

Throughout Jesus' ministry, he taught Love. Love one another. If you love me, keep my commandments. The greatest commandment is to love God, and the next is to love thy neighbor as thyself. If I REALLY loved everybody else as much as I love myself, I would consider my neighbor's needs just as important as my own.

I would like to learn to see people as Jesus saw them. The Lord saw people as equal, all the same...he knew their hearts and judged them by what was in their hearts.

I don't have the privilege or responsibility to judge people...I can't know their hearts. So it is MY responsibility to love everyone. Assume the best in people. Treat them all with respect and love.

The lady I pass when I'm shopping. The impatient man who honks, in the car behind me. The checker in the grocery store. They are my brothers and sisters.

One of my favorite quotes, I don't know who said it: "People do the best they can, with what they have, at that moment." We are all trying.

How many times have I tried and come up short? How many times have I been rude or impatient? I can always rationalize for myself. There is always a good REASON for the way I act.

But what about my list of people I can't forgive? I can think of 3. Why can't I forgive them, and move on? Let it go. Because it was obvious they were wrong. Well, are they suffering because of my grudge and festering feelings? No. I am holding myself back by letting myself continue to wallow in the event of the past.