A Great Challenge

"Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk."

There are so many times in the day that I hear complaints about others and their faults. Why can't we be more positive about those around us. If someone is bitter and grouchy, there is a reason for it. Reach out to them. They may need your love more than you know. If someone makes an annoying mistake, be forgiving and help them. Imagine the power we hold within ourselves just to love one another and the peace it can bring. I love all of you here and I am so grateful for each and everyone of you! 

You have some excellent points here, Cathy, and I, for one, am glad you have the courage to bring your thoughts to the group. I learned many years ago how 1 person will make the difference in an entire community. Having faith in ourselves and mankind, we can, and do make a difference. As a child, I learned that each time you point a finger at someone else's faults, you have 4 fingers pointing back at yourself. Lending a hand to someone in need, and even if they are not in need, can mean something totally different to that person, than it does to you. A kind word goes a long way. A simple hello, altho it may startle some people, generally gets a smile or responding hello. A simple thought, kind word, extended arm to walk with or cross a street, are all extensions of ourselves. It works.

Do what you are comfortable with, and let us know your thoughs & responses to any of these attempts.

A careful examination of this term revealed (it seemed to me) a love that may or may not be accompanied by affection; rather, the word denotes caring in action. It’s a love not defined by what we feel, but what we do.

So true Diana!!!

"Love" is a tricky word! It means something different to each person and how they express that love it different as well. And that could be a prouduct of their enviorment or even they way they were conditioned as children. I think first and foremost a person has to love themselves in order to accept the "love" they receive...even if it's not in the form they wish to receive it. That is such a hard lesson to learn. Give it, I say!! Give it even if the other does not want it or knows what to do with it!! That's why we have it. It's for us to give away. And perhaps finding it within ourselves will fill that void.

Those are good words Krissy and hard at times to do!

Diana, I agree, love is many different things and showing care or concern to others is a way of loving someone.

Barbara this is so good!! "This kind of love, I feel, includes things like compassion, sympathy, empathy, kindness, courtesy, not rushing to judge and condemn someone for their actions.  Loving the unloveable is extremely difficult for mere mortals.  I find myself often saying a prayer for someone that their heart, and therefore their negative behavior or their destructive lifestyle, will be changed for the better.  I believe this is one way, especially for a praying person, to show love for our fellow man/woman by interceding on their behalf to God, who, I believe, already loves them."

You all have made some well points here, having been in charge of others and an decision-maker for others, I am very much aware of the need for others to get and receive help...or "love"...it amounts to pretty much the same thing most the time. One of my near-death expereinces was centered around this aspect...I was given what I felt was some insight by the divine in this. I learned that giving an person anything they asked for was not necessarily to their greater glory..that an person needs to be guided to where what they are given is that of as "having picked their own path" to persue on their own...it tended toward better "soul growth" over-all.  Free choice is the difference between "slavery" and "non-slavery" even if your best interests for them are in your heart...they need free-will choice. Only happiness can come from it. Some people must go through rough times before they learn the lesson, to be there patiently and listen, but even then understand they are under the highest order in all cases. The highest order has his "will" for them also...it will not be one of personal harm to them...if perhaps just an different path to persue life at that...it may be what they need to "blossom" in life better. As to whom do I help, you start in your own home an extend it outward. You will have no problem of people in your own home needing help of some kind...or the people family meet and know daily.  My little ideas of thngs like my "chocolate shoppe" is an example of an type of giving by leading in an example. Rather its used constantly or not really doesn't make an difference, as much as it "shows" others how such an little idea can be helpful in the world when used...it can be used as an example of funding for any society, as an example of acquiring funds with no education or an lot of money to begin with, it helps others to know that while we are our brothers keeper in ways, our brother has as much responsibilty to take the idea and go forth with it as anyone else in providing it...and of course, who doesn't like chocolate...even kids will drink it over coffee any day.  Yes, the place can be lived in though very crudely. But its an start for those that might need it for having no-where. Most working school kids could buy one with an month's working...and all it needs is an freind to have an yard big enough to set it up on, if not an trailer on wheels maybe. Once you have it , your most likely not to get kicked out of it once it's paid for...such as is paying another rent to live somewhere.  While our Government helps us, they limit one to the amount of money they can acquire for the help...so they keep people "broke" an unable to help themselves in ways...and grow into bigger and better things. I might add that I think that it was clearly shown to me in the murder court trial what becomes of someone that thinks they are going to be denied in life of an place to live...it ended up in brutal cold murder out of desparation...as it did in Dan Brown's latest novel I read of "lost Symbols"...only there was an case of an wealthy man"s son not living up to his "expected" potential...it also ended in murder. Yet his father kept telling him he loved him and thought by not helping him, he was making more of an responisble person out of him...the son never felt that way...he felt abused and denied...and came back on the family. As an superivisor of others, I have learned to over look the method to get to the results, as to get to the results in ways, with no harming another in the process. That means I have challenged people before if they were so "sweet" they'd take anything off anyone...unitl they blew up at me... and been there to pick some of them up if I saw them falling... before they hit pavement, and told them the next time I might not be there...change the ways they do things. But even the master tells me that people are idividuals and it is not always to be my concern what they want to do, and there may be times I need to protect myself if it borders on bad things they extend to me, matching people up compatible with needs vs wants so all come out satisfactorily is hard to do...it is an challenge.  Love emcompasses an big word with an mydrid of expressions to it and actions. If you go about your life giving when your can freely, and showing good examples, and trusting in the divine and understanding that there are many paths, and our purpose is to our soul growth, not how much we aqcuire from others daily to make ourselves appear sucessful..we will have done our best on earth to make it better.  I would not try to follow me entirely, go follow "Jesus" he is the master teacher...not me...I can still make mistakes...he is perfect already. You have been shown that by his life the problems our world gave him...even with perfect love abounding...he was crucified and I've been so many many times...but still I am not th emaster and know that well. I've asked him to forgive my sins at times also. Dont' forget his lessons and guidance... and also understand for everything you aquire, someone may of made an foreiture..in order for you to have it.  I saw that clearly on the show of Jeopardy last night, as one person held ALL the answers and made the show primairly by themself, leaving the other two players without an chance to earn something themselves. Love is the greatest commandment, for without it the world will turn choatic in its struggles to survive daily. Love is not being an fool or not giving others an lack of free will choice either...it does enspouse self-responsibilty at times also. Love is something our heart yearns for to feel staisfied and in well being...like an garden, its cultivated to harvest time and is hardly ever forgotten.  My you all be blessed with "love" in your lives.