Tag Archives: Love

Christian Living, Church

BEHIND THE MASK – BOB PRICHARD

An innovative treatment for traumatic brain injury and psychological health concerns at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, part of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, involves the injured service members creating masks, allowing them to illustrate hidden feelings. Common themes chosen include “death (often represented by skulls), inabililty to express themselves (mouths stitched, gagged, or locked shut), physical pain (facial wounds), and patriotic  feelings (American flags).” Some are resistant to the therapy, but several have found significant help. 

“I thought it was a joke,” recalled Sergeant Hopman. “I wanted no part of it because, number one, I’m a man, and I don’t like holding a dainty little paint brush. Number two, I’m not an artist. And number three, I’m not in kindergarten. Well, I was ignorant, and I was wrong, because it’s great. I think it’s great. I think this is what started me kind of opening up and talking about stuff and actually trying to get better.” (“Behind the Mask,” National Geographic, February 2015, p. 44).

The masks created in this program help injured service members reveal their pain within. I think, in conrast to them, that most of us create masks to hide what is within. We would hardly ever reveal the pain within our hearts to others.

But that is not how it should be in the family of God. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; …  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate” (Romans 12:10, 15-16).

Paul also urges, “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Corinthians 12:25b-27).

Part of the glory of the New Jerusalem is that “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). While we are in this life, however, we have our brothers and sisters in Christ to lift us up and care for us, to rejoice with us and to weep with us. 

Bible questions, Christian Living

WHAT DOES LOVE YOUR ENEMIES MEAN?  — BOB PRICHARD

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The watchword of Christianity is love. As Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure, He said, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35).

The love required of Christians goes beyond loving one another, however. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:43-45). Jesus knew He was saying something radical. He knew that the world’s standard was and is to love our neighbors and hate our enemies. Jesus wants more of His followers, however.

Striving to be like their Heavenly Father Who lovingly sends blessings to the just and the unjust, Christians must love their enemies. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:46-48). Loving our enemies is part of the Christian’s growth toward perfection.

We may not like our enemies, but we must love them. To truly love someone else is to want the best for them. Love is unselfish, concerned with what the other person, even an enemy, needs. Christ demonstrated His love for enemies: God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Rather than harboring a grudge against us because of our sin, Christ loved us enough to suffer the cross, the Just dying for the unjust. Love for enemies includes having a forgiving attitude toward those who have wronged us. Peter thought he was being generous in asking the Lord if it was good enough to forgive his brother seven times (most rabbis taught forgiving three times was sufficient). Jesus answered, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). He then explained His statement with a parable about a king and some creditors, to remind His followers that because God has forgiven us, we must forgive others. Jesus said that the love of enemies includes praying for them, blessing them, and doing good to them. Christ emphasized what the Christian does, not what the enemy does. While we cannot control how our enemies live or act, we can control how we act. We must apply the Golden Rule: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12). Loving our enemies is possible only when we surrender our will to the will of Christ, and let Him control our lives.