I have no choice whenever I’m at the FX on my way home to listen to those radio stations that have love “counselings” as part of their show. One of the questions that is always asked is “ano ang mas mahirap, ang mahalin ang taong mahal mo pero di ka mahal o ang taong mahal ka pero hindi mo mahal?” In short are you going to choose the one YOU love or the one who loves you. Now, I am no love guru but while most people use that question with regards to their relationships, I was somehow seeing it in a different way. Confucius said that the golden rule is: “Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.”  While I find nothing bad in the statement, its just that its PASSIVE. In a way its good (I won’t extort anyone so no one extorts me) but it is a double edged sword (I won’t love that person, does that mean I won’t be loved as well?) Jesus, a far wiser man (indeed he is more than a man) said: “ Do to others whatever you would like them to do unto you…” Matthew 7:12 (NLT). Looking at it closely, there is a big difference between Jesus’ words and Confucius’. This statement demands that you DO something, that you be proactive. We tend to beg for love but do we realize that we don’t love the persons around us? You want to be appreciated and be respected but do you appreciate and respect your parents? Those people that placed you in this world? You may be so crazy for a guy/girl, but if you don’t start treating your parents differently, then whatever you are desiring ain’t gonna happen. How about your friends who have been with you for years always having your best in mind, do you appreciate them when they correct you? How about your mentors (professors, boss, small group leaders, teachers, elders in the church or people who are ahead of you) whenever they give their best and their time to you, do you value them? Yet you demand someone else’s time. Or how about that guard in the bank, that dude over the cashier of a fast food chain, that sales lady, do you treat them as human beings? Do you even bother to call them by their name?

Yet you demand that you be treated in a different way.

Well the truth is: we are eager to go through hell for the person that we love, not realizing that we are making other people’s lives a living hell by the way we treat them.

We always want to play the victim, the down trodden, the offended party but let us stop it with the playing victim mindset. It’s time to take responsibility. Sometimes it gets me thinking: maybe we do deserve what’s happening to our lives if we don’t treat others the right way. It may sound harsh but its true. Is this karma? No it’s justice.

Ultimately, how do you treat the Person who loved you the most? Bible says:“For your iniquities have separated you from God, your sins has hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.”(Isaiah 59:2).

Ultimately we offended God whether our sins are acts of commission or omission, whether “reasonable” or “immoral” all sins are despicable in the eyes of God. Yes, you are a sinner, I am a sinner, yes we are despicable in the eyes of God. Our sins demands a payement. The payement or “wages of [our] sin is death”. Is that death here or eternal death? (both, with much emphasis on the latter one). We tend to “compensate” to God by our religiosity, our rituals, head knowledge OR if we find the God of Christianity offending then we customize our God.

Now if God is not pleased with our religiosity, then how in the world can we avoid that payment? That “death”? Thanks be to God because of “the gift of God which is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you (that’s us) to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.” 1 Peter3:18.

With this love that was shed for us, a love that cost His life, how do you respond? Bible says “to those who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John1:12.

Now, are you acting like a child of God? If you claim to believe him, your life should show it. Do you love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself?

If we were to place a hidden camera to follow you, will we see you treat your mother or father differently? Will we see you act out your convictions in your work?studies?home?ministry?

While no one is perfect and everyone trying to live the Christian life can only do it by the grace of God, it takes complete honesty and repentance, patience, perseverance and faith to do it. Everyone is still a work under progress. Bottom line: no one can say that what I said is easy.

Maybe your parents are not lovable and have hurt you so much, say your boss or professor does not really match your temperament; maybe your friends are really harsh. The moment you start giving reasons, you start playing the victim once more.

Jesus died for our sins while we were still sinners.

Whenever I remember that line it just removes my excuses. Jesus wasn’t playing victim (even though he had every right to do so), neither should we.

Your response matters more than the reason, after all, your response is your responsibility.

Let us allow God be our judge, even if in our human minds it maybe very unusual or “unfair” but let us trust him in faith that justice will be served, either now or in the other side of life. Let our response be our responsibility. “Do unto others what you want others to do unto you…” – Jesus Christ