Why wouldn't we?

“If we could live happy and healthy lives without harming others, why wouldn’t we?”

I saw these words on the rear window of a parked car recently. The source was actually an animal rescue sanctuary, but the application of the words is surely universal.

It struck me how closely the words aligned with the teaching of a man, nearly 2,000 years ago. You can find his teachings in God’s bible. The man was Jesus, and he went further than the saying. Here are a couple of instances:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35, NIV)

This one is interesting, but on face value appears to be limited to loving those who share a bond with you. That’d be a great start but… consider it in conjunction with the next one!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven...” (Matthew 5:43-45, NIV)

Imagine a world where everybody did that – showed love toward everyone around them. It would certainly be very different to the one we live in. Our world tends more to the ‘hate your enemy’ part than the message in the rest of the verses!

You can change that as an individual right now. God will change it for everyone when He judges the time is right. All the information we need is in His book. All we have to do as a first step is to pick it up, open it, and read it.