Have you ever faced a person who took a position of, “It’s a matter of principle,” and then they became very difficult to work with?
Or, to take the opposite extreme, have you ever felt like a pushover when you tried to be loving and kind to another who then used and abused you?
In either case, there is a beautiful balance between principle and love to be appreciated that can prevent such unhappy outcomes as described above from happening.
It is right to act on principle, and it is right to act with love. A key to success with either, is to understand that each needs the other.
In Christian Science, Principle and Love are synonyms for God, and they are designed to work together as one.
Principle stands for what is right. Love makes it easy to follow.
If one is to take a position of, “It’s a matter of Principle,” then they also need to make sure that they act with Love.
Principle acted upon without Love, can come across as callous and insensitive. Love acted upon without Principle, can be a wimp.
Principle needs Love, and Love needs Principle.
Principle enforces what is right. Love inspires to do what is right.
If you’re ever feeling pushed around by other people’s selfishness even though you are being kind and patient with them, be sure that you’re also expressing the strength and courage of Principle to follow through with what is right. Love is not weak. Love possesses the strength and power of Principle!
Principle is the backbone of Love, and Love is the tender touch of Principle.
Live true to Principle and Love, and you’ll find a beautiful balance of spiritual qualities that support your efforts to do the right thing with good results.
A beautiful balance between Principle and Love
December 6, 2017 | 28 comments
What an excellent explanation of Principle you have given us Evan, and especially how Principle and Love work hand in hand together. I have not always understood Principle as clearly as other synonyms but this has really opened it up for me. This blog is another keeper! Thank you so much.
That’s so beautiful, Evan! Thank you. I am planning a Christmas celebration for all the family and I have been working a great deal with Love. For example, Love has invited everyone and Love will provide for everyone and each guest will express Love in their own way. I see I also need to work with Principle to get the “beautiful balance of spiritual qualities” as you put it!
Good day Evan and group. Well, I always loved it and I love being kind, inspires me and rejoices to do it at every step, from something simple like a hello or good day with a smile or a gesture of love, but as a child it was not prudent but simple and loving and then some used kindness to take advantage, if I have suffered. Then I have studied in this sense the following of the Bible: behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves; Therefore, be wise as serpents and simple as doves “and I put it into practice and of course the result was excellent because today love and prudence, as Evan says, both work correctly if they merge into one, complement each other. nice today, great teaching and advice, great day for everyone and thanks for all the nutritious comments.
Thank you !!!!
Thank U, as always Evan. Does anyone remember the principal at Principia stating an analogy that said: Love without Pribciple is like a jellyfish without a backbone? I think I heard that many,many years ago.
Oops. Meant Principle. Mistyped
Thank you Evan! I was watching a talk on Christian Science online recently and the speaker talked about having once thought of the synonyms for God (Principle, Love, Truth, Life, etc.) as “individual and separate slices of one pizza”, like distinct entities of one whole. But that later he realized that each synonym also has the characteristics of the other synonyms so now he thinks of the synonyms more like a “smoothie” in that they are all intermixed rather than distinct and separate.
You’ve done a great job today of bringing out this same point. At times I’ve been guilty of trying to express the discipline of Principle like a stern, robotic stereotypical drill Sargent that is often portrayed in movies or on TV. But as pointed out in the blog today, we can’t truly express the discipline, order, law of Principle, without combining that with our expression of Love (and Soul, Mind, Life, Truth, Spirit). Similarly we can’t express the tender, caring, warmth of Love without combining that with our expression of Principle (and Soul, Mind, Life, Truth, Spirit). The intelligence of Mind cannot be expressed in a way that is lacking beauty, energy, honesty, humor, vitality, etc. I love thinking of ways that each Synonym of God can be expressed through the attributes of the other synonyms. Thanks again for providing such a good example of that same idea via the blog today!
Just plain awesome: blog and comments! Principle/Love, what a beautiful team operating in our behalf, bringing us order without rigidity, love in our relationships that is based on intelligence and not just emotion, government that is both compassionate and wise, and decisions that are both loving and ethical. Beautiful blog, Evan. Thank you.:-)
Thanks, Evan! I’ve heard it said that Principle without Love is an iceberg and Love without Principle is a jellyfish. Not sure that I want to be either one, so balance is where I’m headed. 🙂
I love these different analogies. So helpful!
I agree with grace. Just plain awesome blog! Thank you Evan and Thank you All.
Thank you Evan to make us think about today`s SpiritView.
Yes, it is simply awesome – all blogs – and I need to study todas SV deeper in order to get the best understanding out of it.
Love Evan`s blog so much – and thank you all for your so inspiring and loving comments! 🙂
Oh, I just want to add that I love the spiritual thought: “Principle is the backbone of Love, and Love is the tender touch of Principle.” That makes Principle lovingly and Love strong – how comforting and supporting.
All synonyms are one – and that is GOD, good, wo guides and governs and strengthens. How allmighty and good is our God!
Thanks, Evan, and everyone. It’s really impressed me how Mrs. Eddy links Principle and Love so much in her writings: the divine Principle, Love. I try to work each day to see that divine Principle, Love, is guiding and guarding each of us. I love seeing that link—it’s love and wisdom combined, harmony and order. Thank you, Evan, for these thoughts today! And, of course, the five G’s: God, Good, Guards, Guides, and Governs—the divine Principle, Love, in action!
Oh, thank you Daphne that you mention Mrs Eddy`s explanation: the divine Principle, Love is guiding. In this arrangement I do understand the spiritual meaning of both synonyms much better.
And I like the five G`s and your whole last sentence in your comment, they are very helpful! thanks a lot 🙂
That was wonderful. I am in a situation where I changed my perspective and I can express peace. But peace with principle. love with principle. I can understand that when you do not have love and principle together it feels wobbly.
Thank you so much for this, Evan. Exceedingly helpful.
Thanks for so clearly expressing the balance that’s needed! It can be hard, especially at first, trying to achieve the right mix. Along the line of Principle is what some call boundaries. It’s easy to be taken advantage of if you don’t set boundaries.
I had a friend’s phone call wake me up Saturday. She left a message to call her back as soon as I could. Knowing her, that could mean anything from she needed urgent help, to something relatively benign, so I took a bit to still my thought first. It turned out she needed a ride to the grocery. I had a very busy day, including a long errand in the morning and a full afternoon, but I said yes – then I prayed about how I could do it without feeling resentful that it would prevent me from doing what I needed to. It came to me to drop her off on my way out and pick her back up on my way back, which worked out perfectly! I was so grateful to be able to turn to God for an answer that met both our needs, allowing me to help my friend while still getting the things I needed to done.
Evan,
Great Spiritview! I love this! So true. God’s qualities working together for good. Thank you for the wonderful comments from readers. 🙂
I wanted to share an idea related to this. Jesus said “Go and sin no more”. There was both forgiveness (Love) and Principle in this statement. Had he just said “Go”, he would be seeing that person as unable to do better. He would be condemning them as evil, unredeemable. It might even come across as self-righteous. Principle without love. The “…and sin no more” has the forgiveness. It is standing for principle and speaking the truth with love – you can do better than this – do it going forward. He directed a path for that person or the lost sheep to follow back to the fold.
Wonderful message, Evan. Thank you so much- this one is very special!
Awesome as always, thank you Evan. And thank you all for your comments that are so inspiring.
Beautiful messages. Thank you all for sharing. Blessings to everyone.
Excellent! A great reminder that it is important to have love when we stand on principle otherwise we may come across as being an iceberg. Who me an iceberg? A good reminder to add love which will result in a melted iceberg.
Thank you, Evan. I would send your text to the Christian Science periodicals to be published as a “spiritual short” so a wider audience can be blessed by your inspiring text. With love, Alex
Hi Alexandre,
I join your proposal fully, that Evan lets this so inspiring and healing SV publish in our periodicals, wonderful idea! :_)
I like this discussion so much – it is extremely helpful. Especially the “tender touch and the backbone” idea. I used to tell my Sunday Class that Love without Principle is spineless and weak and Principle without Love is uncaring. But putting them together is a win-win for all. Thanks Evan and all ! Nan
Thank you Evan. So helpful.
I was reminded of something I heard years ago:
“Principle without Love is an iceberg.
Love without Principle is a jelly fish.”