After my blog post yesterday, I was challenged to think of why I don’t harm the old lady down the street to get what I want (if you’re confused, you should really probably go and read my post from yesterday).
I had a great comment on my blog in one of the places I posted it challenging me as to why I needed the threat of Hell or reward of Heaven to keep me from harming others. It got me thinking, why do I need that?
His comment was longer and my response was much longer, but here is an excerpt that explains where I am on this particular subject.
I choose not to harm people, not because of the threat of Hell or the reward of Heaven. Doing good to others serves no purpose in itself anyway. I choose to love others and work to help others because A. I love God. B. God has commanded us to (John 13:34; John 15:12) C. God knows what’s best for us. Along these lines, I don’t feel restrained from a free life apart from the “confines of God’s law.“ Quite the opposite. I believe if he created us, he knows better than us what will truly bring us joy and contentment. I don’t show kindness to people or not harm them because it gains me any brownie points in going to Heaven. Any good that I do, I do because his love is being perfected in me, and I want to show that love to others in any way that I can.