Madison J. Caplinger

Light and dark. Night and day. Sun and moon. Fire and Ice. Good and evil. The world hangs in the balance between many opposites. Some work in harmony, and some are enemies. This has been the way of the world since God said “let there be light.”
Jesus told us that the greatest good there is, is love. He commanded us above all to love God, and to love our neighbor. Such a high ideal must have an opposite, and our first instinct is to label this opposite “hate.” In a sense this is true. But at its root, hate is selfishness, and selfishness at its root is pride. 
Pride is the idea that our preferences, our needs, our rights, our agendas, our dignity matter the most. Love is the idea that we lay those aside for the good of another. Jesus Christ, the heir to all Heaven and Earth, did not seek equality with God even though He earned it, but humbled himself to serve, and ultimately die for, people that spat in His face. Pride would have had Him walk away from the cross, knowing we would never deserve so great a sacrifice. 
Pride turned the most beautiful of God’s creation into the enemy of our souls. Love redeemed what the enemy brought to ruin. Pride widened the chasm between a perfect God and sinful man, but love created a bridge. 
When you fully grasp the depth of love Christ has shown us, you can’t walk away justified in your own pride. You can’t walk away unchanged. I can’t do anything but humbly proclaim that Jesus has changed my life, and hope that His uncompromising love overflows in my words and actions, so that others catch a glimpse of the love He can offer them.