Excellent And the greatest of these Do It In Love by Terry Reilly Bible writing prompt entry Artwork by avmurray at FanArtReview.com

LET ALL THAT YOU DO BE DONE IN LOVE. 1 Corinthians 16:14. Just suppose you were not a Christian. You were not familiar with the Bible. I guess, I hope, that applies to many FanStory friends reading this piece. Would this injunction have meaning? Can it transcend its cultural context? I would argue that if it cannot, if it is not capable of universal application, its value is limited. Christianity shares so many core values with the major world religions. Indeed, with Humanism. A coherent, structured belief system, whatever we choose to call it, whatever God or absence of God lies at its beating heart, is likely to be either self-serving or altruistic. If all that we do is designed to advance our personal cause, to satisfy our needs, to service our greed, then any capacity for love we possess is self- directed. Narcissistic. Autistic. Ultimately self-defeating. If our selfish avarice destroys all competitors then who collaborates with us and supports us when we face challenges that demand a concerted, coordinated response? Those we rejected, dismissed? Those who no longer exist because we robbed them of their right to exist. Then we are alone. Lost. The concept "love" is complex. It should not be internally directed. In its simplest, reductionist, meaning it implies caring deeply for another or others. That is the altruistic component. All religions propose that living beings * some specify humans, others extend the range * are worthy of love, and deserve love, because of their divine origin. Love the Creator, or Creators, so love their Creation, Creations. The logic, to me, seems inescapable. Humanistic thinking takes a different perspective. We are obliged to care for and respect those with whom we share our fragile world. Survival depends on collaborative mutuality. It is both loving and pragmatic. We are already well on the way to annihilating our host planet. So, love can be both selfish and altruistic. It cares, protects, sustains. Not just my neighbour, but me too. The Bible may not be the only text, religious or otherwise, which defines love in accordance with the precepts and contexts herein explored, but it is the one with which I am most familiar, and the plea preceding this reflection will continue to guide my choices in the face of life's demands. Writing Prompt Take a passage from the Bible that you find especially interesting or meaningful. Then write why you chose it. 1. Exposition: Perhaps you've studied it in depth which gave greater understanding to its meaning. Share what you learned. OR 2 . Application: It helped you with something personally when you applied it to your life/situation. Author Notes Some late night musings pursuing an expositional, philosophical approach to the subject. Other Sacred Texts are available. Apologies for the odd formatting. I have repeatedly re-edited it and this is the best result I could achieve.

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