Love is the answer

It may come as a surprise to those who know me, but i am becoming more and more saddened by the fallen state of men.  I see so much that is so messed up, there is so much grief and suffering that simply does not need to be. 
It seems that the older i get, the more i know and understand and the more i see that is wrong.  Along with this is the ever broadening view that there is so little i can do. Obviously, the most straightforward answer is that if everyone did just a little bit, very much could be accomplished.  But the big problem is that everyone, myself included, is terribly self centered and short sighted.  We are too selfish to see the needs and hurts of others.  We are too focused on ourselves and our entertainments to address anyone else's pain.
Ultimately, the answer is love.  The Beatles had it right, U2 has it right, Orthodox monks and nuns have it right.  Loving men as God has loved us is what we are supposed to do.  And this will solve all the problems in the world around us.  This is not bright eyed idealism, this is an attempt to live as Jesus has commanded us to live.
This is not romantic, warm feelings either.  To love as God has loved us means to strive to help others grow in holiness.  It's not about nice, warm thoughts, is not about romance. It's about focusing on others instead of ourselves, regardless of their sin or impression upon us. To gain our life we must lose it. To receive we must give. Love is the answer and we must learn to live the answer. Love for neighbor built upon a genuine love for God, as he has revealed himself in the body of Christ is the final answer.