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Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 1
The Fruit of Pure Love—“Whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them” (
Matthew 7:12
). Blessed results
would appear as the fruit of such a course. “With what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again” (
verse 2
). Here are strong
motives which should constrain us to love one another with a pure
heart, fervently. Christ is our example. He went about doing good. He
lived to bless others. Love beautified and ennobled all His actions.
[208]
We are not commanded to do to ourselves what we wish others to
do unto us; we are to do unto others what we wish them to do to us
under like circumstances. The measure we mete is always measured
to us again....
The love of influence and the desire for the esteem of others may
produce a well-ordered life and frequently a blameless conversation.
Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of evil. A selfish heart
may perform generous actions, acknowledge the present truth, and
express humility and affection in an outward manner, yet the motives
may be deceptive and impure; the actions that flow from such a heart
may be destitute of the savor of life and the fruits of true holiness,
being destitute of the principles of pure love. Love should be cherished
and cultivated, for its influence is divine.—
Testimonies for the Church
2:136
(1868).
Love Makes Concessions—Christ’s love is deep and earnest,
flowing like an irrepressible stream to all who will accept it. There
is no selfishness in His love. If this heaven-born love is an abiding
principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those
we hold most dear in sacred relationship but to all with whom we
come in contact. It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to
make concessions, to perform deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true,
encouraging words. It will lead us to sympathize with those whose
hearts hunger for sympathy.—
Manuscript 17, 1899.
(
The S.D.A. Bible
Commentary 5:1140
.)
Love Governs the Motives and Actions—The most careful at-
tention to the outward proprieties of life is not sufficient to shut out all
fretfulness, harsh judgment, and unbecoming speech. True refinement
will never be revealed so long as self is considered as the supreme
object. Love must dwell in the heart. A thoroughgoing Christian
draws his motives of action from his deep heart-love for his Master.
Up through the roots of his affection for Christ springs an unselfish