Day 136 "Ramifications for Our Actions"

When the thief got caught, his reply was, "I'm sorry." To which the officer replied, "Are you sorry for what you did or simply sorry that you got caught?" Such is the possible reaction to something we shouldn't have done in the first place. It is so easy to put our own interest before others and care little about what affect it may have upon them. Which brings us once, again, to the point about living in the moment with love. When we act out of care and concern for others, which is truly what love is, our actions are "otherly based" and leaves little room for selfishness and placing our interest ahead of the interest of others, as is not the case when feelings are hurt by something we may have said or treating other people poorly because we have positioned our importance over theirs. It is a simple rule: treat and love others as you would want to be loved and treated by them. But God actually makes this even easier to do for us. God asks us to love others as he first loved us. In other words, we are not asked to simply try to love others out of our own power which may itself lack the ability to love or may have never really experienced what genuine love is like. But God shows us and demonstrates this love for us.

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

"God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:5

"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

Regrets, remorse, repentance, and contrition are all words dealing with something done which later one wishes one never did in the first place. It is a revealing question that Paul asks to the Christians in Rome concerning such actions:

"What benefit did you reap at the time from the things you are now ashamed of?" Romans 6:21

Do you want to keep yourself from ever doing something that you will later regret? Or feeling ashamed for having done? Then, pursue the pathway of loving.

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"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them." Luke 6:32

Love is not wishy-washy. It takes concentrated effort, discipline, and self-acceptance that places one's interest behind the interest of others. But when handled and managed correctly, guess what? No more regrets.

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)