“Live and Let Live?” Or “Live and Let’s Give?”

As a blogger one of the things I enjoy doing is reading other people’s blogs.  While reading “Diamonds in Dark Places,” I came across the following thought.

I’ve always tried to follow the adage, “Live and let live.” I’ll mind my business, you mind yours, and we’ll all get along. I’m starting to believe, however, that “letting live,” practicing a kind of benevolent indifference, isn’t the consummate virtue I thought it was. Maybe it’s only a beginning. Maybe life deserves more…

Life may (or may not) continue as we ignore it in pursuit of our own interests; but abundant life—life overflowing with joy, hope, privilege, security, love and meaning—doesn’t just happen. It is a blessing we give each other, a gift of self, a conscious contribution to the richness of another’s existence. 

https://diamondsindarkplaces.wordpress.com/2020/07/28/let-live-or-give/

“Live and let live” is about doing no harm to those around us, which is certainly the bare minimum we are required to do.  However, Jesus doesn’t call us to benevolent indifference, he calls us to passionate love.  Jesus died on the cross so  that we might have life and have it abundantly (Jn 10:10) and Jesus expects us to pass this abundant life on to others.  He commands his disciples, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”  (Mt 10: 8  KJV)

Years ago I wrote a song that puts these ideas into words. 

The more we love, the more love grows.
The more love grows, the more we know.
That God, our God, loves this  world  so.
Let’s share God’s love and watch love grow.

We are blessed to be a blessing. So which will it be: “Live and let live” or “Live and let’s give”?

P.S. If you are looking for a good blog to follow, I highly recommend “Diamonds in the Dark.” It is fully of thoughtful and well articulated reflections. I look forward to it every time they post something new.

You can find their blog here: https://diamondsindarkplaces.wordpress.com/