On my way through the Revelation, I stopped a moment at this passage in chapter 2:
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write . . . ‘you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.’ "
As I concluded the passage I reflected on how often I get my proverbial dander up, defending the faith, sharing the faith, teaching the faith -- that I forget to live the faith. Too often I have forgotten to turn my eyes toward Jesus, and instead satisfied myself with working for Him instead of loving Him.
Catholic author, Christopher Maricle, says it well: Heeding the example of Jesus to do what is in our power to do means that we need to worry less about what happens to us and more about what happens because of us. Being a source of healing means exercising our capacity to love. Love is within our power. In the act of loving unselfishly we touch that part of God’s spirit within us. Touching this love is healing for both us and for those to whom we reach out.
Good words, I think, for anyone to heed.
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I think this idea is the key element in Christianity -- worrying about the mote in one's own eye. I do know it is the primary criticism by non-believers: hypocrisy.
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