Biblical Answer

Prioritizing Love: Understanding the Higher Relationship

When the world is against us, prioritizing love can be a challenging task. The biblical perspective on love emphasizes the importance of loving God above all else, including ourselves and others. This is not to say that we should not love ourselves or others, but rather that our love for God should be the supreme objective. When our love for God and others come into conflict, we must yield to the higher relationship. This means that our love for God should take precedence over our love for ourselves and others.

The Biblical Way of Resolving Conflict

The biblical way of resolving conflict between love for God and others is to prioritize love for God. This is not to ignore the views and conduct of others, but rather to love them in a way that is consistent with God's commands. As John says, "We should love one another. It is not you in the issuing of the message, but we in the receiving and obeying of it" (1 John 3:23). This means that we should love others in a way that is guided by God's Word, rather than our own desires or opinions. By prioritizing love for God, we can resolve conflicts and live in a way that is consistent with God's commands.

The Importance of a Servants Heart

Prioritizing love also involves having a servants heart, a willingness to count others better than yourself and to serve and look out for their interests as well as your own. This is evident in Galatians 5:13b-14, which says, "Serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" This means that we should love others in a way that is selfless and sacrificial, rather than seeking our own interests. By prioritizing love and having a servants heart, we can live in a way that is consistent with God's commands and resolve conflicts in a way that is guided by love.