“The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Dr. Ray Brock helped shape me during my Masters program. One of the things he said has stayed with me throughout the last 35 years:
“It is easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting.”
C.S. Lewis agrees. The question is not “Do I love this person” but “How do I show love to this person”. The act does not flow out of my thought. My thoughts flow out of my desire to act.
And this is a good thing.
Because often, I don’t find find myself really wanting to love some people. I want to choose those worthy of my love (whatever that means). But, of course, as a Christ-follower I don’t get to think about those things.
I get to act.
In acting, I find my thinking comes around, and that there are lot of people that I love.
And that is a really great thing.
