The Importance of A To Do List- Part Seven

When our To Do List becomes overwhelming, it is time to let go of control.  As Christians, we are to focus on things eternal.  That does not mean that we let go of all our responsibilities in the world, but our lives and our priories should reflect our eternal perspective first and foremost.  God has been speaking to me through Luke10:25-28. He has revealed to me the importance of my To Do List.  Based on the Scripture in Luke, there are two things that should be on the list:

To Do List:

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.

2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

In my last post, (The Importance of A To Do List- Part Six), I shared some of my thoughts and insights about how to check #1 off the list.

The second item on the list is to love your neighbor as yourself. I think this is extremely difficult for many people due to their idea of love.  Society has created its own definition of love which is to meet selfish demands. Many people attach conditions and expectations to their own selfish idea of love.

I sought after the real definition of love.  I looked it up in the one place I knew would give me the real definition- the Bible. I found the meaning of real love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 (The Message says it best.) Remember, I got the definition from the Bible- God's Word.  So, the following is the way God Himself designed for us to be loved, and more importantly, how He wants us to love others.

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.(1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, The Message)

If you are honest with yourself, this way of loving others is not in your natural human instinct.  But imagine if society began to love others and were loved by others in this manner.  It would change lives completely. In my last post on this topic, I will share with you practical ways to put real love into action.  As I have been able to practice loving others, I have been able to check #2 off my list and have found total peace and fulfillment.