The World Around You

What kind of world do you live in everyday? What kind of environment do you live out your everyday life in? Do you like it? Do you hate it? Do you want to change it? How do we, as Christians, make the best life for ourselves? 

The answer? One word....love.

Jesus summed up the entire Bible in two commands: love God and love people. 

Matthew 22:36-40 NIV

[36] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” [37] Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 

Love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. Then love all mankind like you love yourself.

Make your relationship with the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit the most important relationship in your life. Talk to God everyday in prayer, let Him talk to you through the Bible and by the Holy Spirit in your spirit. Love God and thank Him for all He has done and does in your life. Develop your relationship with God like you do any other relationship, by interacting with Him everyday as you go about your day. Make Him the focal point of your life. Through the ups and downs of life, make Him top priority out of all your relationships and this will greatly improve your life. 

Next love all mankind, whoever crosses your path in your life. Everyone. The good, the bad, the ugly. The rude people, the difficult people, your enemies, those that use you and abuse you, the kind people, the nice people, the arrogant, the jealous, the envious, the evil. Love all people. 

How is this possible? God is love. God has given us His love by the Holy Spirit who is inside us. THAT'S how we can truly love all people. The Holy Spirit works with our spirit to love everyone. 

Romans 5:5 NIV [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

So we can do this!!!! 

What kind of love? The ooey-gooey kind? The mushy stuff? No. Loving people is just a decision we make to ourselves in advance on how we will treat all people. We decide to treat people the same way no matter who they are and no matter how they treat us.

We decide in advance how we will approach and interact with all people. 

Okay. How do we act towards all people? This is found in I. Corinthians 13:4-7:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

This is the guide on how to treat all people. Be kind, be patient, don't envy, don't brag or be arrogant or stubborn, don't be mean to people or make fun of them, don't be selfish, don't get easily angered with people, don't hold grudges, don't enjoy evil, delight in the truth, which is God's word. Always protect people, always trust people, always have hope for people, and never give up on people.

This is the guide on how to treat everyone. Bear in mind, this is all out-going behavior from you and doesn't depend upon their behavior or responses. Trust me, your behavior will not always be received with open arms. Some will reject you. Some will not know how to respond. Some will receive your "love." The main point is if you want to make the world around you better, treat everyone with love as set forth here.

So, to make a better life for yourself, make your relationship with God your top priority, love Him first, and then love everyone the same, regardless of how they treat you. 

One more passage to really make this a simple process:

Romans 13:10 NIV

[10] Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Simply? Love never does any harm, in word or action, to anyone ever, no matter how they treat you. This sums up the entire Bible.

Have the best life possible in the world around you? Change your life? Make it the best life possible?

Love God, love people.

Remember, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. This is between you and God. This is how Jesus said to live and develop your life.

I would like to encourage you to share this message with your friends, family, and colleagues. Subscribe to my blog to be notified when I add new content on here. Thanks for letting me be a part of your lives.

Love you all,

Jeffrey Post