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“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:11-12 (NKJV).
This is probably one of the most quoted statements in the bible. It can be found in numerous places throughout scripture, and we reference it frequently. When we consider how to love our neighbors, sometimes we forget about the second part, which is loving ourselves. The quote, and Jesus’ command, after all, is to love thy neighbor as thyself. Which means that to love our neighbors as best we can, we must love ourselves. Maintaining healthy self-love is a continuous process, and often a hard one. Get to know yourself better. Living mindfully can help us appreciate and connect more to our bodies and minds. But, do we really know what it actually means to love our neighbors as ourselves? And, could it be, that we actually love some of our neighbors differently than we love ourselves? Even without considering the Biblical origins, loving your neighbor is a critical part of creating and upholding strong communities. Loving your neighbor means acting with compassion. When Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor?”
He responded with a story: the Good Samaritan. Even those who have no love for God see the value of the story. What is the bottom line of this story? Who did Jesus say was being a neighbor? The one who had compassion. Compassion is not simply a warm fuzzy feeling in our hearts. Compassion does something. A heart that’s moved by compassion cannot sit idly by while someone suffers a need. Loving your neighbor as yourself is being moved to help to the full extent of your ability. Judge all things and people honestly. We aren’t to show partiality to a poor man just because of his station, but the same applies to a rich man as well. Only a person’s character should determine what judgment we render. Be fair in all that we do. When we consider how to love our neighbors, sometimes we forget about the second part, which is loving ourselves. The quote, and Jesus’ command, after all, is to love thy neighbor as thyself. Which means that in order to love our neighbors as best we can, we must love ourselves. Self-love is a continuous process, and often a hard one. “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” Romans 15:1-2 (NKJV).
James calls it the royal law. It sounds beautiful, and it is when we obey it. But loving your neighbor as yourself isn’t always easy. That’s why God made it a command. He knew we’d struggle. Making it a commandment is actually to our benefit. How is that? We have to do it on purpose, be intentional about it. Sometimes even out of our need. We can certainly work to meet basic needs, especially of the marginalized and overlooked. Our simple gestures speak volumes of love, comforting others as you meet their needs. Don’t allow the words of Jesus to only stay printed in your Bible. Give them wings, springing them into action. There are souls in your life who need your nurture. Consider how you might show concern for their welfare, loving and caring for them the way you already love and care for yourself. When you do, you’ll be completing the chain of love that began when God first loved you. Loving your neighbor means looking out for their wellbeing. 1 Corinthians 13 says, “love protects.” In it says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Loving your neighbor as yourself is to look out for other people’s wellbeing. Most of us more likely to loathe rather than love ourselves, being overly self-critical? If we are going to obey Jesus’ command, we first need to comprehend this idea of self-love. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” I Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV).
By way of definition, “neighbor” in this passage refers to anyone who is around us: our actual neighbor or the person at the desk next to us at work. We don’t have to confuse unity and love within the body of Christ with passivity and uniformity. We’re all different and at different places in our walk with the Lord. He’s working on each of us. We can be united in love and still stand firm in our beliefs and challenge one another to rise above. We’re not always moved by compassion for people, especially the difficult people in our lives. The issue isn’t who our neighbor is and who we’re supposed to love. The issue is our hearts. Who are we? And are we willing to show love, mercy, and compassion? Will we get caught up in who we should help and love, how often we’re supposed to, and how much; or will we simply allow the Holy Spirit to work through us? Jesus said he came to serve. God, who is love, came to serve. Love serves. For you to love your neighbor as yourself, you’ll have a heart to serve them. Let them know you’re there for them. If they need a ride somewhere, you drive them. If they need their dog or cat checked on while they’re out of town, you do that for them. Other examples are getting their mail for them or taking them a meal if they’re not well. Examples in a public setting are to let people in front of you in line at the store or in traffic. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV).
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