Skip to the Bottom Line

Have you ever sat through a long-winded meeting wishing they’d cut to the chase, or skip to the bottom line? It always reminds me of the old Dragnet show where detective Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am.”

The Apostle Paul did a good job of doing just that when he wrote Romans 13:8-10. Instead of lingering over the “do nots” he cut to the chase or the bottom line with one “do.”

It doesn’t matter which Bible translation you read, the don’ts are things that intrude on another’s space or do them harm. For example, sleeping with someone’s spouse, taking their life, stealing from them, or wanting something they have that you don’t. I’m sure you can think up your own list of hurtful things.

The way to avoid the negative is to live in the positive: Love others as you love yourself. This week on Turning Point, I heard Dr. David Jeremiah say, “People like to deceive, but I’ve never met anyone who wanted to BE deceived.”

Would you like to simplify your life? Then skip to the bottom line in relationships: Love others as you love yourself. Such love does not harm self or others.

Jesus skipped to the bottom line when He declared that all the Law and the Prophets hung on two commandments: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).

Martin Buber, a twentieth-century philosopher, makes a good point about this bottom-line principle: “. . . There is no one who knows your many faults better than you! But you love yourself notwithstanding. And so you must love your neighbor, no matter how many faults you see in him.”*

He skipped to the bottom line. Now all we have to do is take it to heart. That means we think before we speak or act. Would I want someone to speak or act like this toward me? No? OK, then I won’t do it to them either.      

*Martin Buber, azquotes.com, Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Quotes.

Stock meeting image by Pixabay.