Love not the world - I John 2:15-16
Here is a paradox - Love not the world and yet we must love it. Although we should not love the things of the world or the sin of the world we must LOVE THE WORLD. We need to learn to love it with the love of God, who gave His Son to die for it. Love it with the love of Christ who willingly shed His blood for it. Love it with the love of angels, who rejoice in its conversion. Love it to do it good, giving tears to its sufferings, pity to its sorrow, wealth to its wants, prayers to it miseries, and Christ to it needs. We cannot live without affecting the world and those around us so affecting for better by giving them love in Christ. Yes, we live in the world but we must learn to look beyond it into eternity, look above it into heaven, and leave it better than we left it.