Every morning I pretty much have the same routine in regard to getting ready for my day. I laugh at myself sometimes because I realize in many ways in the mornings I am a definite creature of habit! In our Scripture today Paul is making a strong point about making something a "habit" in our lives--"love your neighbor as yourself."
Thinking about that truth deeper brings us to a clear point about the importance of loving ourselves in a right and godly way so that in turn we can love others in a right and godly way. It is about relationship. I find it very interesting that my relationship with others has much to do with my relationship with myself. Not in a selfish, it's all about me attitude--but about rightly viewing myself as a child of God, loved and cared for by my Heavenly Father. If He can accept and love me as I am, forgive me, and encourage me to continue to grow in Him, can I not also do the same for others?
The opportunity to walk in this truth is that if I clothe myself with Jesus every day (just like my daily routine of getting ready for the day) and don't think about how to satisfy my own fleshly desires, then I will be enabled to fulfill that which the Lord has called me to do--love deeply, fervently, respectfully, and in a holy way in my life.
As we all begin to slowly come out from our homes let us remember this admonition of love. So many are hungry for real love, true friendships. Let us "be the love of Jesus."