Loving Others
Breaking out of solitude and fulfilling the royal law of love requires giving close, sympathetic attention to others and making their interests our own.
Mary Wilder Tileston emphasizes the importance of fulfilling the royal law of loving your neighbor as yourself, highlighting the selfless nature of true love that focuses on giving rather than receiving. She encourages those feeling alone and empty-hearted to step out of their solitude and engage with others, showing genuine care and interest in their lives. Tileston echoes the value of listening, loving, and understanding others without the need to correct them, mirroring the compassionate and empathetic nature of Annie Keary's approach.
Text
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.
--JAMES 2:8
DO you feel yourself alone and empty-hearted? Then you have necessity indeed for fortitude and brave endurance, but above all and before all you must get out of your solitude. You cannot command for yourself the love you would gladly receive; it is not in our power to do that; but that noble love which is not asking but giving,--that you can always have. Wherever your life touches another life, there you have opportunity. To mix with men and women in the ordinary forms of social intercourse becomes a sacred function when one carries into it the true spirit. To give a close, sympathetic attention to every human being we touch; to try to get some sense of how he feels, what he is, what he needs; to make in some degree his interest our own,--that disposition and habit would deliver any one of us from isolation or emptiness.
--GEORGE S. MERRIAM
She [Annie Keary] did not try to set others right; she only listened to and loved and understood her fellow-creatures.
--ELIZA KEARY
Sermon Outline
- The Royal Law of Love
- The Power of Giving Love
- Practicing Love in Everyday Life
- Giving close attention to others
- Making others' interests our own
Key Quotes
“You cannot command for yourself the love you would gladly receive; it is not in our power to do that; but that noble love which is not asking but giving,--that you can always have.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“She [Annie Keary] did not try to set others right; she only listened to and loved and understood her fellow-creatures.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“To mix with men and women in the ordinary forms of social intercourse becomes a sacred function when one carries into it the true spirit.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- Make an effort to break out of your solitude and engage with others in social interactions.
- Practice giving close, sympathetic attention to those around you, trying to understand their needs and feelings.
- Make others' interests your own by seeing things from their perspective and making their needs and feelings your own.