A New Commandment

Hundreds of choices every day...
 (RP) reminds:

some insignificant

blue or black socks ?

salad or soup ?

freeway or redwood road ?

some significant

education
 marriage

employment

some overlooked

how will I use my free time?

how will I treat others?

specially those that are difficult to LOVE

It is easy to LOVE the LOVABLE

Christ exemplified LOVE...

He also extended a challenge

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another as I have LOVED you...

BY THIS shall all men know

that ye are my disciples."

(John 13:34-35)

If I am truly on the path to discipleship,

LOVE is what will define me

and not just to the LOVABLE.

My mind is a running dialogue throughout the day.

I have wonderful intentions and then someone rubs me the wrong way.

Am I justified?

Never.
For every possible excuse and situation I could think of,
an image of the Savior came to mind.

"But she betrayed me...I trusted her..."

Caravaggio "Taking of Christ"

"He is so mean to me and bullies me at every opportunity..."

Image found on Google

"I won't go near her kind..."

"She is only my friend when it is convenient for her..."

Carl Heinrich Bloch "Denial of Christ"

Modern Artist depicts Peter, the Apostle's Denial

"Yeah, but he's old, withered and sickly"

"Healing the Sick st Bethesda" by Carl Heinrich Bloch

"I'm afraid I'll catch his disease..."

Artist's Interpretation of Christ Healing the Leper

"She is always invading my personal space."

*The Woman Touching the Hem of Christ's Robe

There were many pieces of Art 
that I loved showing the woman 
reaching out to touch Christ's robe. 
This one seemed to move me enough to select and comment about.
 Look at the woman. 
She is portrayed in black and white, 
whereas Christ and his followers are in color. 
Look now to her hand. 
As her hand touches Christ's robe, life and color emerges. 
This I know, He is the living color in my life. 

"He's a murderer..."

"Christ Crucified" by Carnegriff 

"I feel so misjudged and misunderstood...but...I didn't do anything."

The People Chose to Free a Criminal Over a Perfect Man

When temptation comes to give someone the silent treatment,
I will remember:
"Inasmuch as ye have done unto the LEAST OF THESE...

ye have done it unto me."

(Matthew 25:40)

So how do we LOVE the hard to LOVE

rather than lash out, LOVE says forgive
instead of retaliate, LOVE says help
when the flaws are obvious, LOVE says see the good in them
a New Commandment
LOVE one another.