“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17).
The scriptures have numerous commands and examples of how the people of God are never to act in a selfish way—we are to love sincerely, to be selfless in our actions, to have a deep care for others, and to be considerate of others in all matters.
The principle of love and selflessness is established near the beginning of time when God commands His people to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Then, Jesus brings that command over into the New Testament when he quotes this second commandment: “…You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).
To be selfless means to be “concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with our own.” A prime example of a selfless person is the good Samaritan who unselfishly took care of the needs of a stranger—a “certain man”—and even paid for his future treatment as needed (Luke 10:30-37).
There is no better way to demonstrate that “the love of God abide(s)” in us than to help those who are in need, whether or not we are acquainted with them.
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