Not Without

 Matt.5:39 “But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also…43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” [with emphasis]

If you really want to follow Jesus and be a follower of Christ, you have to love. Some people say that Islam is a religion of peace and I say they have not read the Koran. Whoever really wants to be a follower of Mohammed has to fight jihad.

This points to the fact that the terrorists are the people really following Mohammed and the others are not. Similarly, there are Christians that will not forgive; there are people that prefer to live in unforgiveness.

Some Christians have people in their biological family or church family that they have refused to talk to. Or people they will rather relate with than others because they have refused to forgive. But if you want to follow Jesus, you have to forgive! If you really want to follow Jesus you have to love! Christmas is For-Giving. Jesus came so that we can be reconciled with God and that is the purpose of Christmas.

Dr. Okey Onuzo, while ministering in God’s Favourite House, taught us that the prerequisite to loving is humility. You cannot love without humility and that is so profound. I took that word home and while ruminating over it, I kind of expanded it. He says you cannot love without humility. And I say you cannot forgive without love. And guess what? You cannot have peace without forgiveness. Do you want peace? Then you need to forgive. The reason a lot of people’s lives are in turmoil is because no peace without forgiveness. And you cannot have humility without peace.

So I came up with the inserted chart. You cannot have forgiveness without love. You cannot have peace without forgiveness. You cannot have humility without peace. If you want to have love you must have humility. Married couples will attest to the fact that the arrogant person cannot really love the spouse. You cannot love without humility.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to grow in humility so that I can truly love and in loving, truly forgive and in forgiving, live in peace, in Jesus Name. Amen!