Do I have to?

August 3, 2005

You know, sometimes it hurts my feelings to read the word of God. It goes against everything that the world teaches us sometimes.

Php 2:3-5 CEV
(3) Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.

Ouch. You mean when someone has something I would like to have, I should not be jealous of them. I can not boast of the things I have done. I have to be humble and think other people are more important than me. I mean I know I should treat my wife and kids that way, but what about the crazy neighbor? I have to think of him as more important than me?

(4) Care about them as much as you care about yourselves

So the fact is that I have to love them like I love myself. If I do not love them, does that mean that I do not love myself?

(5) and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought:

So how did Christ think? He had compassion on people. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, helped them even walk on water. He loved and gave Himself.

This just might be hard to do. What do you think?

==Translation Information
Scriptures marked as "(CEV)" are taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.