Love... thinks no evil

It might be slightly surprising to find the word 'evil' used here. Can love be 'evil'? Not unless you have a 'love' for depraved things like murder, robbery, adultery and the like. All reasonable persons who read this would think it surely cannot be relevant to them, since most people are 'law-abiding' people who are religious and perform their civil duties of paying taxes and of voting? However, we are thinking based on the 21st century definition of the word - which is narrow and limiting in its scope. "Evil" can mean anything from 'immoral' to 'harmful' and 'worthless'. Basically, anything that is negative in its motivation or effect. Anything that puts self, man and temporal pleasures at the fore speaks of such 'evil'. Think about it for a moment - when was the last time we looked at a loved one and we focused on their weaknesses? When was the last time we expect them to 'change' for 'the better'? The result of our thoughts are seen by our complaints, our nagging words, our disappointed tone, our superior view and many other ways. It is just so easy to see the other person's flaws and their broken promises, but we forget that the person who is in our life is a God-created creature that is fashioned in His-likeness (Genesis 1:27). Of course mankind is intrinsically flawed and without spiritual beauty, yet we cannot deny the value God placed upon His creatures by the token of life given freely to them! When we put others down, whether through our actions or by our mere thoughts, we are proclaiming our self-worth, which before God - does not exist! Consider this sobering truth in - Ecclesiastes 7:20 - For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin, Isaiah 41:24 - Indeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination, and Job 25:6 - How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?

Friend, love truly confers no evil or harm on others but seek their prosperity and blessings. If we are called in Matthew 5:44 to - ... love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you... how much more ought we to do with those who are our family members, friends, colleagues and acquaintances? Let us seek their spiritual good by blessing them. Let us show grace that would encourage them to the paths of righteousness. Let us truly be that 'friend' that reflects the deep love Christ gave to His 'enemies' - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Let us show Christ in our love, and expel all seeds of self-righteousness and moral superiority from our 'love for one another'. Amen!