Love God, Love Others, Love Yourself - a biblical balanced life

Loving other people doesn't mean being "in love" with everyone. "Warm-fuzzy" love is easy -- until the emotion starts to fade, that is. But the human love the Bible talks about isn't just a passing emotional state. It's something based on choice. We choose to care about another person's welfare, even if that person has hurt us, called us names, or ignored us.

Parents understand this kind of love, for they keep loving their children even when the children don't seem to love them back. It is similar -- but not as steadfast -- as God's love for us. He loves us when we aren't at all lovable and then commands us to return the favor -- that is, love other people as he loves us, and make giving, not getting, the goal of our love.

Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love covers all offenses.   Proverbs 10:12

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, 

all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 

A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these 

two commandments.” – Matt 22:37-40 

What is missing is biblical balance. We need all three, not just our fav one. We can only really perform well in our lives when we love God AND ALSO love others AND ALSO love ourselves. All three (God, others, self) are needed to function in a balanced way as a human being. The bible says so! 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love - 1 Cor 13:13 

The same problem can be seen in the balance needed for faith, hope and love. We may value faith over love or hope, but then we have problems later on. Some problems are healed by loving yourself enough to have boundaries to protect yourself. Some problems need hope to be given by a kind trusted friend. Some problems can only be dealt with by having faith in the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

For the law was given through Moses;

grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  John 1:17

Another three concepts that must be kept in balance is law, grace and truth. Law in it’s very nature is religious and puts us into bondage if we don’t add grace (aka love/compassion). But grace doesn’t make sense without law. Together the law of Abraham plus the grace of Jesus Christ make up TRUTH.

If you only focus on law, you won’t get it. If you only focus on grace you won’t get the whole picture, you won’t even understand WHY you needed to receive grace. If you can see both you can receive truth.

We need a biblical balance in our every day lives. We need to combine things and keep them together in balance.

One Thing Remains - Jesus Culture

Love is worth it all!

Loving God, loving others and loving myself… Yes it is sometimes hard, and it may hurt sometimes, but when I truly love there is peace and freedom beyond description.

May God empower us all to live lives of love.