Have you ever truly ponder wether your actions are motivated by love? We know from I Cor. 13 that the characteristics of love are (KJV) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."
But what does that really mean? I like the translation for this passage from The Message.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end. Love never dies.
I especially like the point of "doesn't force itself on others" to me that means, you don't force your religious beliefs or convictions on others. We all know that person who is so sanctimonious that they act like they are the only one who is tight with G-O-D and everyone else is doomed to eternal damnation.
Have you ever wondered why these people act like this? I believe that they may be truly fearful of what the afterlife will bring them. They may also be fearful for another person's soul and are trying to "save them". Many of us have been taught to be fearful of God and the afterlife because we may end up in the lake of fire. Down through the centuries, religion and the fear of God has been used as a mean to control people.
But fear is the opposite of love. Love is a positive energy and sends light to all souls. Fear is a negative energy that is emersed in darkness. Fear brings about negative traits such as jealousy, hatred, unjustness, envy, self-doubt. Think about it. We are all connected to one another and we are all connected to the Divine. Why are people filled with hatred for another religion, race, or life choices? It's because they are filled with fear and not love. Fear keeps us ignorant to the truth. Fear causes one to act irrationally. Fear causes one to try to control another person.
I encourage everyone to ask before acting, thinking, or speaking "Is my action motivated by love or by fear?"