Re:Verse reading–2 Kings 4:8-37 (day three)
“Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?” The Silver Rule says, “Do not do anything to others that you would not want done to you.” Better that than the alternative, for sure. But this passage, and later Jesus himself, teaches us to go further—not only to refrain from harm, but to seek the good. Love, we learn, is not passive, but active. And it’s not just frenetic activity. It’s not merely what you think passes for a good idea. We have probably all helped fill others’ closets with dust-gathering Christmas gifts that we thought would get the job of generosity done. But to love and to serve is to seek the good. That requires patience, attention, observation, and effort. Love is less “random act” and more thoughtful doing.
