Understanding Love in Management Terms

UV 2124/10000 Understanding Love in Management Terms
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13 v 34

Virtually, every decision and action we take is based on a balancing of “ cost to me against benefit to me.” The meaning of the new summary commandment Jesus gave that in effect contains and fulfils all the requirements of the Mosaic ten is that when we love others as we love ourselves, we would further balance cost to me versus benefit to me with “cost to others and benefits to others.” The first summary commandment of Jesus, “ Love God with all our hearts” implies weighing “cost to me” against “cost to God” and “benefits to me” against “benefits to God.” Together these two summary commandments met all the requirements of the Ten Commandments. For considerations of “cost to me” along with “cost to others” would prevent one effectively from lying, coveting another’s, robbing, murdering or hurting others in any way. Considerations of “benefits to me” and “benefits to others”, would keep one from acting or doing evil or from disobeying the Lord. It would also keep one on the path of consistently doing good to others and not just desist from doing harm to others.

Jesus also said, “ Love others as I have loved you.” This implies that in all our thoughts, words, actions, reactions, decisions, we should aim to match the highest standards of Jesus. He was prepared and did pay the highest cost to Himself in order to benefit to the greatest extent the others who believed and followed Him. It means that we should serve others the way Jesus served His followers. It is leadership for service or servant leadership. In this model of leadership, no gains are sought for oneself while there is a preparedness to pay any cost.
It is not as if we do a cost-benefit analysis every time we say or do anything but the attitude to consider the interests of others, to lift the burdens or alleviate their suffering while not in anyway contributing to it underlies everything we do. Even the most altruistic human act has an element of self interest in it. It requires an understanding, appreciation and experience of the agape or unconditional love of God in Christ to shift from merely loving others as we love ourselves to loving others as Christ loved us- a willingness to pay the entire cost without reciprocation or expectation of return.

Prateep V Philip