Love with limits?

(09.18.21– Rebirth –Leviticus 19:18)

My friend, may I ask you a question? The Bible teaches that we ought to love, to honor our neighbor as ourselves. Would starting at home be wise?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

Being a keen observer of dogs, I've discovered there is little they do that doesn't have purpose. One thing that I've noticed about our dogs here at Beech Springs is this: they are big at honoring one another. For example, if little Frodo, the smallest and meekest member of our dog pack, has possession of the Great Room hassock, Annie, though bigger and the pack leader, won't invade his space. She looks ruefully at his cushy perch and moves on. At first it might seem odd that she doesn't just growl and warn him off. But the reason is simple; she wants him to react the same way when she has that comfy perch. In a very real way it's the pack's code of honor. "If you treat me the way I want to be treated, I'll do the same and the pack will get along." Works for dogs; now, if it would only work for humans the same way.

The Bible teaches that we ought to love, to honor our neighbor as ourselves. Starting at home would be wise.

Here's a story: Once there was a little old man whose hands trembled when he ate causing him to miss his mouth and dribble his food on the table. He lived with his son, and his son's wife didn't like it. "I can't have this," she said. "He interferes with my eating." So they took him and led him to the corner of the kitchen. They set him on a stool and gave him his food in an earthenware bowl. One day his trembling hands caused the bowl to fall and brake. "If you're a pig," said the daughter-in-law, "you can eat out of a trough." So they made him a little wooden trough and he got his meals in that. The couple had a 4-year-old son they loved very much. One evening the young man noticed his boy playing intently with some pieces of wood and asked what he was doing. "I'm making a trough," he said, smiling up for approval, "to feed you and Momma out of when I get big." The man and his wife looked at each other and then they cried a little. They then went to the corner and took the old man by the arm and led him back to the table. They sat him in a comfortable chair and gave him his food on a plate, and from then on nobody ever scolded him again. (Adapted–Grimm's Fairy Tales)

" . . . love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). This law, given to the ancient Jews at the time of Moses, was considered so important that Rabbis often added: "This is love without limits; doing what is good and right for others before you think of what must be done for you." That's honor with a capital "H." Jesus taught it as the most important commandment after honoring God. It was the code of honor that compelled the ancient and chivalrous knights. It's the code that protects the Great Room hassock; and, it ought to be the code that governs how we honor others; first our family and then our friends. If it works for dogs and knights, I guess, if we but cry a little, we may get there too?

We pray. Heavenly Father, You are the author and originator of love. We only know love because You are love and You loved us first. You love us specifically and sacrificially. You love us in our sin and rebellion against You. You love us despite the pain we inflict on others. You love us in our mess. It is that love - that selfless, self-sacrificing love, which allows us to love others. It is an overflow of Your love for us that allows us to love other people. We ask You to make us better lovers of one another. Would You give us the heart and love to proclaim Your love to those who need to hear it? In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Love with limits?

(09.18.21– Rebirth –Leviticus 19:18)

My friend, may I ask you a question? The Bible teaches that we ought to love, to honor our neighbor as ourselves. Would starting at home be wise?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

Being a keen observer of dogs, I've discovered there is little they do that doesn't have purpose. One thing that I've noticed about our dogs here at Beech Springs is this: they are big at honoring one another. For example, if little Frodo, the smallest and meekest member of our dog pack, has possession of the Great Room hassock, Annie, though bigger and the pack leader, won't invade his space. She looks ruefully at his cushy perch and moves on. At first it might seem odd that she doesn't just growl and warn him off. But the reason is simple; she wants him to react the same way when she has that comfy perch. In a very real way it's the pack's code of honor. "If you treat me the way I want to be treated, I'll do the same and the pack will get along." Works for dogs; now, if it would only work for humans the same way.

The Bible teaches that we ought to love, to honor our neighbor as ourselves. Starting at home would be wise.

Here's a story: Once there was a little old man whose hands trembled when he ate causing him to miss his mouth and dribble his food on the table. He lived with his son, and his son's wife didn't like it. "I can't have this," she said. "He interferes with my eating." So they took him and led him to the corner of the kitchen. They set him on a stool and gave him his food in an earthenware bowl. One day his trembling hands caused the bowl to fall and brake. "If you're a pig," said the daughter-in-law, "you can eat out of a trough." So they made him a little wooden trough and he got his meals in that. The couple had a 4-year-old son they loved very much. One evening the young man noticed his boy playing intently with some pieces of wood and asked what he was doing. "I'm making a trough," he said, smiling up for approval, "to feed you and Momma out of when I get big." The man and his wife looked at each other and then they cried a little. They then went to the corner and took the old man by the arm and led him back to the table. They sat him in a comfortable chair and gave him his food on a plate, and from then on nobody ever scolded him again. (Adapted–Grimm's Fairy Tales)

" . . . love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). This law, given to the ancient Jews at the time of Moses, was considered so important that Rabbis often added: "This is love without limits; doing what is good and right for others before you think of what must be done for you." That's honor with a capital "H." Jesus taught it as the most important commandment after honoring God. It was the code of honor that compelled the ancient and chivalrous knights. It's the code that protects the Great Room hassock; and, it ought to be the code that governs how we honor others; first our family and then our friends. If it works for dogs and knights, I guess, if we but cry a little, we may get there too?

We pray. Heavenly Father, You are the author and originator of love. We only know love because You are love and You loved us first. You love us specifically and sacrificially. You love us in our sin and rebellion against You. You love us despite the pain we inflict on others. You love us in our mess. It is that love - that selfless, self-sacrificing love, which allows us to love others. It is an overflow of Your love for us that allows us to love other people. We ask You to make us better lovers of one another. Would You give us the heart and love to proclaim Your love to those who need to hear it? In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.