In the GCb, Jesus said that we are to love others as we love ourselves. In wrestling with how we do that, some have suggested that we don't love others because we don't love ourselves. This implies that we need to learn to love our selves and then we can better love others.
I am not sure I buy this. Sure, some of us feel crappy about ourselves and have lots of guilt, shame and anxiety, but I would suggest that even these people love themselves. If love is "willing the good" of its object then even us louses still love ourselves. We do it all the time. I get hungry, I will to eat. I am tired, I will to sleep. I don't like my shirt, I will to buy another. Happens all day long, everday. Even with less than confident and together people.
The GC says that we are to love our neighbor AS we love ourself. We already love ourself and we do it readily and responsively; we have lots of experience. No practice needed. We got it down. It is easy. It's like it's automatic.
So we need to "will the good" of our neighbors the same way we love ourselves: willingly, readily responsively, naturally.
This will require some practice in order for it to get as automatic as loving ourselves. What kinds of practice will be needed? What do you do?
4 comments:
ah the practice...always seems to come down to that...how to practice to love others?...well since it is so natural to love ourselves we obviously know how to love ourselves...and if we are suppose to love our neighbors the way we love ourselves then we should know what to do...practicing what we need to do...well...that is a different issue that takes lots of time i think...
i have noticed a difference in one of my friends lately, and it definately is a conscience one. i went to wendys and the movies with him and on both occasions he engaged in a conversation with the person who took his order. he asked them how they were doing and how their day was going. i would say that is a very simple example of loving your neighbor.
i disagree with you aaron when it says it takes a lot of time. there are many simple, very practical things you could do, like the aforementioned example. i think it has to be a conscious decision that we can only do if we are living in the present and looking for ways to express that love. to reach that point, will take practice in the form of discipline, though.
i meant it takes lots of time to make loving your neighbor a reflex...something you dont have to even think about...like loving yourself...you dont have to make a consious decsion to love yourself...you just do...so yeah...i was meaning it takes a lot of time to make loving your nieghbor an unconscious thing...but i agree there are simple, practical ways you can love your nieghbor...but for the few hundred times you will probably have to think about it first...
Clay: I like your example. You friend was present to a typically invisible person.
It would be instructive for us to practice, as Aaron is suggesting, doing that. As we move through life, we encounter lots of invisible people that are different from us that may be needy. All we need to do is pay attention.
Now, I would suggest that few are good at paying attention. That has been called mindfulness. Not a naturaral state of being. Yeah, they can do it for a while, but not as a lifestyle without practice. So, I agree with your comments Aaron - we need to practice.
Jesus was mindful and he practiced lots up on the Mount of Olives "as was his custom."
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