Love Your Neighbor

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:13–15).

As I read news reports of the turmoil that is enveloping much of our nation, I think of these verses that we recently considered in our study of Galatians.  I realize that Paul is addressing relationships among believers in the body of Christ and not national issues.  But it seems to me that some of the same principles could apply in any situation where humans interact.

Principle #1: Freedom is easily abused.  Our nation has been an experiment in freedom from the very beginning.  And, sadly, that freedom has been abused in many ways from the very beginning.  Freedom hasn’t been equally applied in too many cases.  But addressing the abuse of freedom with more abuses of freedom just feeds the beast.  It perpetuates and deepens the problem.

Principle #2: Love accomplishes more than law.  Yes, laws are needed and should be respected in an orderly society.  But without love for others, laws can become tools for evil by being unequally administered and abused.  When hate rules, no amount of law can restrain evil.  Society will devolve into anarchy in spite of its laws.  But when love for each other is the guiding force, law doesn’t have to be preeminent.

Principle #3: Hate is destructive.  When a nation begins to “bite and devour each other,” mutual destruction is assured.  And who is the winner then?  The one who takes the last bite?  The last person standing can claim to be “king of the world” while standing on a pile of smoldering rubble.  Seems like a hollow victory to me.  But what do I know...

Loving one another seems so simplistic in the face of such turmoil.  But it really is the answer.

God loves you!

Mike