Love has no opposite

Which one is more real: up or down? How about black or white? Day or night? We define all those things as opposites—they both exist as the inverse of each other. But in some cases, there’s a hidden misconception flying under the radar. If two things are truly opposites, then they cannot both be real! Think about light and darkness, for example. They both appear to have their own existence, but when you bring them together, it’s evident that only light has reality. “Darkness” isn’t really real—it’s just how we describe the absence of light.

Now let’s take a look at Love, a synonym for God. There’s no opposite to Love, either. You often hear hate and love described as opposites, and there are many other things that also appear to oppose Love—such as fear, ignorance, doubt, discouragement, and frustration. Yet all those things are really empty, since Love melts away hate, doubt, frustration, and fear just as light illuminates darkness. The question then becomes, “Were those awful feelings ever real?” The radical answer is … No!

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God [Love, Spirit] and mammon [hate, fear, materiality]” (Matthew 6:24). I have often read this quote as a command, but recently I realized that Jesus is telling us it’s not even possible to serve two masters. Once we understand that divine Love is supreme, there is no logical place for the old thought that there can be something opposite to it. Love’s existence proves the nonexistence of its supposed opposite.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit