Love works no ill

Key verse: Romans 13:10

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 13:8-10

Everything about the law points to love. Not having any other god beside God is loving God. The rest is about loving our neighbors. Oh! Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy is about rest which dovetails into love also: loving God by obeying His command and loving oneself by keeping the body and mind out of stress. The truth of love is that there is no way we love someone and intentionally hurt them. To do so is wickedness and not love. Those who lie to their neighbors with a view to cheating them out of something are hurtful and not loving at all. Jonathan loved David. Even though it was a known thing that David was being touted for the throne which should have been Jonathan’s, yet the latter would not for one second think of allowing any hurt to come to his beloved friend. Conversely, Judas could not be bothered that his friend was to be arrested and face the law on fathom charges even if he did not know it would lead to death.

To love someone is to ensure the same comes to no hurt and can live life gloriously. Anything we do to cause the contrary to the life of anyone is not done in love. So, to refuse to forgive a friend who erred and showed remorse can send the same friend to an early grave if care is not taken. We know of a fellow who so loved his friends and wanted good for them. One of the friends however got offended by a statement made by this loving friend about his spouse. Incidentally, the one whose spouse was supposedly fouled was better positioned than the loving friend. Our friend was not forgiven his “misdeed” despite all overtures. All manner of policy change was done to malign and maltreat him. Then he was made to believe another bosom friend had also joined the conspiracy and it became too much for him to bear. One day, while trekking on the road, he got lost in thought obviously about these things and was ran over by a careless driver. He died. Just because someone found it difficult to discuss and settle misunderstandings.

Anything that causes ill to a neighbor is not love. It is not until the neighbor dies. Even if it is done to hurt his thoughts and feelings, it is not in love at all. Let’s learn to do good to all men and pursue peace so that we may obey the command to love as well as fulfill the law. When we do so, no judgment can hold us from reigning with our Master, Love.

Pray: Father, I want to reign with you. Help me to love my neighbor whether it be convenient or not that I may fulfill the law in Jesus name.