How do you challenge yourself - (Mt 5:43-48)

[JRKH]

In the passage cited above it says:
43 "You have heard that it was said, `YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be F96 sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus also later talks about what we do to the least of others. In both passages he is
speaking of our love of neighbor.

So my question to anyone interested is, how do you challenge yourself to do more? To Love, for the Love fo God, those whom we would not love just in our natural state? To “become perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”?

For myself, I freely admit that I am in a pitiable state in this regard. My past is full of sin and my present is tied up in loving and caring for my sick wife, leaving little time for anything else, except prayers and even in this I am too lax.
My only saving grace is that I know how poor a servant I am and do pray for God’s mercy and guidance.
I do pray several times a day for the protection of the unborn and the conversion of those involved in abortion.

I look forward to others (name removed by moderator)ut.

Peace
James

 

[alitaptap]

The only thing I can do is to love other people by creating space for the other people to fix themselves. I believe that I can never fix anyone because fixing is an inside job. Never forced from the outside. Yes, we can inspire, guide, teach but cannot force.

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor”; He didn’t say, “Fix your neighbor.”