CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
A DAILY ONLINE LENTEN STUDY GUIDE: DAY 22
Monte Holland
This is the Twenty-second in a series of daily Lenten devotionals called “Scriptural Lessons Leading to a Godly and Moral Life.” To start the study, click on: A Daily Online Lenten Study Guide: Introduction or
https://carolyncholland.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/a-daily-online-lenten-study-guide-introduction/
To view yesterday’s A DAILY ON-LINE LENTEN STUDY GUIDE click on: A Daily Online Lenten Study Guide: Day 21Today’s photographs feature the cross on top of Otterbein UnitedMethodist Church in Connellsville, PA. One photo shows how it was damaged when lightning struck it in 1997. To view click on:
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When Jesus instructed us to “love neighbor as thyself,” He was quoting Old Testament teaching:
18Stop being angry and don’t try to take revenge. I am the LORD, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself. Leviticus 19:18 : Contemporary English Version (CEV)
In addition to Jesus’ three Gospel statements of the Great Commandment, Jesus offered another valuable teaching about dealing with our neighbors:
19Respect your father and mother. And love others as much as you love yourself.” Matthew 19:19 : Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Elsewhere in the New Testament we find further affirmation of this commandment:
a. 9In the Law there are many commands, such as, “Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not want what belongs to others.” But all of these are summed up in the command that says, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” Romans 13:9 : Contemporary English Version (CEV)
b. 14All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself. Galatians 5:14 : Contemporary English Version (CEV)
c. 8You will do all right, if you obey the most important law [a] in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves. James 2:8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Upper Room reading author for March 12, 2010 shares some insight:
The parable of the Good Samaritan gives me an example to follow. The Samaritan was not intending to become the wounded man’s best friend, but he took care of the man’s needs. —Caroleah Johnson (California, USA)
What is loving self? It isn’t about how much we have—material possession or a multitude of friends. It comes back to stewardship. We really love ourselves when our love of God overflows into thankfulness for what God has put in our care. The act of caring becomes ultimate, no matter whether it is our best friend or a person we have just met. Loving one’s self is reflected in our unselfish use of the gifts God has entrusted to us. The result becomes loving neighbor as self. It is something that goes on irrespective of friendship—this is a matter of stewardship among God’s people.
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EXERCISES:
Exercise 1: There is ample evidence from the above scripture verses that loving your neighbor as oneself is a key commandment. To accomplish this is a (more…)
CAROLYN'S COMPOSITIONS 