Mark 12:30-32 (NIV) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

What would happen if those of us who say we believe in the Bible really lived it? Recently I have seen and heard people claim they are doing things for the "Best" of everyone. I have heard people say they have "prayed" about something and then they go against the greatest commandments of God.

If we really loved God would we hurt other people in the process? If we really loved God would we treat people ugly in the name of being right? If we really loved God why don't we love our neighbors as ourselves? Maybe we really don't love ourselves. I don't understand. I don't know why people who have the Holy Spirit living in them can't live like Jesus. I don't understand why I snap at my wife and kids when I'm stressed. I don't understand why I don't love more.

When will adult leaders realize when they don't love others as themselves it will come back and bite them? I would rather err on the side of love and forgiveness than to always be right and have no friends. I confess, this has not always been my way. I use to argue with people about spiritual matters. But I realized a person who doesn't know Christ doesn't believe my Bible. I realized that Christians can have differences of opinion. The only non-negotiables are Jesus is the only way to heaven. But I can worship with a 5 point calvanist and an Assembly of God jumping pew Christian. Yesterday I picked up some equipment I loaned to a UMC new church start. Right out in the open in front of an elementary school a UMC pastor layed hands on me and prayed a blessing over me. Somehow I believe God smiled.

When you treat people right, you can look them in the eye. When you treat people God's way, you have no regrets.