My View of Life - Never Better!

Love

One of my favorite movie lines is from "First Knight," the story of King Arthur of Camelot played by Sean Connery. "If you must die, die serving something greater than yourself," he says. "Better still, live and serve."

King Arthur created a great city--"Camelot" on this premise. "In serving each other we become free," was the logo written on the round table in the heart of the city. Burn all this down, he said to Lancelot, and Camelot lives on because of this belief we hold in our hearts.

Deeper yet, this belief was solidified by their trust in God. They felt the spirit of God confirm to their soles that serving each other was right and just and true.

But then the movie has a flaw. When Camelot was overwhelmed by its adversary, Maligant, King Arthur said, "God makes us strong only for a while so we can help each other."

There is no "while" in Heavenly Father's Plan for us his children. His plan is to make us strong throughout all eternity. King Arthur lived by sound, righteous, and uplifting principles. He was a man of love and faith. He would go on being strong in service to others in death as well. It is the same for all of us. The movie "Starwars" depicts this lesson when Obi Wan Kenobi allows Darth Vader to strike him down saying he would then be more powerful than he could ever imagine.

Children of Almighty God that strive to be worthy, just, and true have always looked to a greater power, and a sense that life extends beyond the grave, especially as the end draws near. Many beliefs are different but their foundation is consistent.

But now, the ensuing question. What is God's motivating factor to create a plan for his children to grow, progress, and become strong? The answer: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son--.

Love! Love is the key. When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment he answered (Matthew 22:37-39:)

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love is mentioned hundreds of times in scripture. It's a verb and a noun, and there must be willingness to extend and maintain it.

And now for my favorite line in all movies. It's spoken by King Arthur to Lancelot. Lancelot was saying, if you knew me better you would not say such things. Arthur laughed and said, "I take the good with the bad, I CANNOT LOVE IN SLICES."

Is there anyone among us without fault, blame, and sin? Of course not. True love doesn't love this about you but not that therefore I really don't love you at all, or, I love her but not him because I like everything there is about her but I don't like this one thing about him. Thank goodness we have perfection in our example, and in the form of one like us, even Jesus Christ our Savior. His love was perfect. He is the embodiment of love. His love he extended to all, even his enemies, and he backed it up with his works, even his very life (John 23:34 Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do) were some of his last words of his mortal life.

But now, a stumbling block. Regardless of the plainness of scripture, there are many who have difficulty understanding and interpreting love. They give it many forms and complicate its true identity. Consequently we live in a world of confusion. (Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.)

Mammon is described as idolatry, or worldliness--exactly what is befalling our world today. When people succumb to the world, their true perception of love and being loving erodes into lust, greed, rationalization, selfishness, pride, even hatred. In the name of love, horrible acts including murder are carried out. In actuality, these acts are committed when people choose to serve mammon/Satan rather than their Heavenly Father.

True love is easy. It's backed by the spirit of God. It builds, uplifts, strengthens, fortifies, and brings one unto Christ. There is a more precise word for this pure love of Christ. It's called charity. Its definition can touch the heart of anyone truly seeking Christ in their life (1 Corinthians 13:4-8.)

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoicth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth:

These verses, are our test. If your life's course coincides with these verses, and is bringing that peace and happiness promised from our Lord into your life, you know your inner vessel is clean, and pure. You can further solidify your true status before the Lord because of the fruits of evil--wickedness never was happiness, and you . . . are happy.

The tests of true love come when you disagree with another on a poignant issue. Can you agree to disagree agreeably? Will you seek further knowledge and wisdom regarding the matter that you may better understand? Will you evaluate the fruits of such issues and so on. Can you love them for who they are as a priceless child of God?

Surely, loving our enemies is most difficult. Those that would kill us if they had the chance. Christ never treated love as a doormat. Throughout history he helped, inspired, and lead his righteous people to victory always in the cause of love. A love of preserving their freedom, and their religion, and protecting their homes and families. Or, closer to home, a co-worker that dislikes you, or a neighbor that is rude to you. Jesus taught us how to handle this type of people. The rudeness won't fill our hearts, nor will we allow such actions to affect our demeanor.

Did David truly love Bathsheba? Of course not. If he truly loved her he would have fought off the feelings of lust, and self-indulgence as the above scripture teaches. If he truly loved her he would have supported and encouraged her marriage to Uriah. We know the ending. He ended up having Uriah killed which brought him Bathsheba along with sadness the rest of his days. (Again, wickedness never was happiness. Our Heavenly Father sent us to earth that we might have joy.)

There are a million more examples, but it's sufficient to say that interpreting true love is easy through the spirit, scripture, and its fruits. The hard part is the actual implementation of love. But, the plan of happiness for our life was never meant to be easy. It was meant to help us grow and find joy through our actions of love and service. Love, charity, and service will always triumph. Why? Because it's the very persona of our Redeemer, and upon his rock, we CANNOT fall. Truly, life is . . . NEVER BETTER.