I wonder if how we see others (or don’t) is rooted in how we see ourselves in relationship to the Father.
Jesus obviously knew himself as loved by the Father, therefore he saw others as fellow children of God.
If I think that I am truly, and feel this to my very bones, a child of God and loved by God, then it would be natural for me to see others as such.
Yet, when I think that I have to earn God’s love through my actions or piety, OR I am undeserving of God’s love because of this or that….this transfers to others.
This is turn is why Jesus says to love the Father, we must love others as we love ourselves.
A wise person, in all humility, knows and accepts this Love! Accepts is as PURE GIFT, nothing that is merited or earned. Then in all humility returns this love to others.
IMAGINE the Evangelization that we could do if we open ourselves more and more to the mystery and the power of God’s love.
IMAGINE the changes in our lives and in the lives of the people of our community.
another perspective… much of modern life encourages the competition between ourselves and others… who has more than who? ‘she has what i don’t have’… including God’s favor and love… ‘ so God must love him more than me.’
God’s love is a pure gift… but we as made-of-mud-and-spit humans still want to earn it… to make ourselves feel more deserving and worthy… we might stay stuck in this mentality til the end of time. that’s why we need words in blogs to remind us of God’s deep and abiding love.
thanks.