----STOP SIGNS ~~

"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?" --[Matthew 5:46]

--THE message of the stop sign is easy to understand. In commenting on the virtue of charity, someone has said, "Love has no stop signs." Ironically, many people seemingly have no conscience against ignoring stop signs when there is no cross traffic and no policeman nearby. But these same people may comply with "stop signs" in their practice to love! In today's key verse, Jesus told His listeners in essence that they must not plant stop signs along the road to loving those who did not love them.

Erecting stop signs did not start or stop in Jesus' day. We too face the temptation not to love those who hate us. But Jesus said, "Love [even] your enemies." He told us to pray for those who treat us despitefully and persecute us. We should never place any stop signs along our paths to loving others.

But someone may protest, "Look what he did to me!" Or, "After he stole so much from me, how can I love him?" Well, the Bible makes no exceptions. What's more, Jesus also said, "Do good to to them that hate you." Romans 12:20 explains that one way to fulfill this is to give food and drink to our enemy if he is in need. This will serve to "heap coals of fire on his head"; that is, make him feel ashamed.

Love seeks the salvation of all men. And while it is wrong to place stop signs along the path to loving others, we do need to apply them to some kinds of love. Consider this: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15). May God give us wisdom in our use of stop signs. ~~
~~"Treat others the same way you want them to treat you"--Jesus said.~ [Luke 6:31 / NASB]
--'Beside Still Waters/DM~
--"All Of Me"//Selah/ [lyrics] //<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_cx1pNL1Xg>
~~~~~~~~~~