Finding Christ-Like Love In Setting Boundaries. #10

If nothing else the title sounds interesting. And if I came across it, I would stop and read what it had to say. So let me try to make your time reading this profitable.

We all know that our Savior Jesus Christ was perfect in his love and understanding of all Heavenly Father’s children. But knowing all that we do, from our studying of the scriptures and what has been testified of by the Prophets of the church, how could he have loved everyone the way that he did? I have a hard time just trying to get to work in the morning without getting irritated at someone.

We are taught that we need to develop Christ-like attributes. And that includes loving our brothers and sisters. All of our brothers and sisters, even the ones that mistreat us, hate us, hurt us or just don’t want to deal with us. Not an easy task, but were do we start?

I think the answer could be found in setting boundaries.

Boundaries are essential to healthy relationships, whether it be family, friends, co-workers or passersby. Loving someone doesn't mean loving them to the point that they hurt or mistreat us. And sometimes the pain and hurt can come from you loving them too much.

Having healthy boundaries means “knowing and understanding your limits and how far you're willing to go to love that person. Then having the courage to not cross over those limits you’ve set and letting that person make their own decisions on whatever you were trying to help them with. This can be especially hard with people we love, children, spouses, parents or close family friends. There are times we can love them so much that we are willing to do anything and everything in our power to help them. But sometimes that leads to us getting hurt because in our eyes their making unwise decisions. But in all situations we need to remember one thing, We have all been given the gift of free agency.

That’s were setting boundaries can help. By allowing people to make their own decisions and exercising their free agency they will learn and progress. Good or bad they will learn. But if we become so emotionally involved in their decisions or actions it can do harm to us and our emotional state. We are here to help and guide not dictate and manage when it comes to loving people.

Can we love someone enough to let them fail if need be?

Matthew 10:14
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

We can only try to help someone through love, compassion, forgiveness and patience but at the end of the day they have free agency to choose their own path.

2nd Nephi 2:27
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

The Savior had unconditional love, forgiveness, compassion and patience. But I bet He also set boundaries.