We live in volatile times. Loving others calls us to override our feelings and emotions. We have to will ourselves to do the loving thing even when we don’t feel like it. We act because it is the right thing for us as Christians who follow Jesus.
There is an old humorous story that I think illustrates this well. A housewife and mother wakes up early one Sunday morning before church. She is preparing breakfast for her husband and son. Her husband comes moping into the dining area. He is obviously feeling upset, maybe even a little down. He is clearly put out. She tells him, “You need to hurry up and get ready because church will be starting soon.”
He says, “I’m not going to church.”
That surprises her. She says to him, “Give me one good reason why you are not going to church this morning.”
He replies, “I’ll do better than that, I will give you two good reasons why I am not going to church this morning. Reason number one, those people at church cannot stand me. Reason number two, I cannot stand those people at church.”
With that he sat back very satisfied, believing that he had played the ultimate trump card. Emboldened, he says to her, “Besides, give me one good reason why I should go to church.”
Unfortunately for him, she comes back with an insightful response. “I’ll do better than that,” she says. “I’ll not only give you one good reason why you should go to church, I will give you two. Reason number one, it is the right thing to do. Reason number two, you are the preacher.”
Thankfully, I haven’t had many mornings like that… if any. How about you?
That story does, however, do a good job of illustrating that there are times when our emotions can come into play and impact our attitudes and actions. Something must govern them. It should be what Paul calls in Philippians chapter two “the mind of Christ.”
3 When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. 4 Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others. 5 In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:3-5) [NCV.]