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Wisdom---or Self-Centeredness?

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13

 

Has an unbeliever ever accused you of being a hypocrite because you didn't show them Christian love? We need to take such accusations seriously in case we have been at fault. But not every accusation like this is justified; sometimes the accuser is just being selfish, demanding, and unrealistic.

We aren't hypocritical just because we don't meet a person's every demand. Would we really be helping them if we met their every demand, no matter how selfish? We might just be encouraging greater self-centeredness on their part. Sometimes love says no because that is what is best for the other person.

If you can fulfill someone's request, however, do so even if it involves sacrifice on your part. The Bible says,  "let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). This is the kind of love God showed us when He sent His Son into the world to die for our sins.

May you always be an example to others of Jesus' selfless love--and may He grant you wisdom to know what that will mean in every situation.

From, HOPE for Each Day: Morning & Evening Devotions, by Billy Graham.