Society teaches the greatest love of all is "learning to love yourself".
And that, as long as you stay "true to yourself" you've succeeded.
...he is a king over all the children of pride... The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment... For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Our Creator doesn't..
A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit...
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
But He does define the true greatest love..
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
It's how He proved His love for us..
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
It's our evidence.. and He commands us to do likewise..
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren
It's how we prove our love.
But how do we actually do that in our own lives? We can't exactly die for each others sins..
But we can lay down our lives to demonstrate our love.. we can humble our spirits to lay down the pride of life to prove our love for our friends.. we can put aside our own thoughts.. our own feelings.. our own agendas.. to prove the greatest love of all to our friends.
John 15:13-17
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.
That's where we start.. but not where we stop..
Matt 5:43-45
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
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