Day 5 – How Can You Effectively Love Your Neighbor As Yourself - Part Three

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being” 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NKJV).

We must and will look past the obvious, the outer shell, and look into their eyes, their hearts, and their circumstances. If you’re blinded by our own bitterness or anger, we will beg God to give me His eyes to see His beloved creation as He does. The childhood rhyme about stick and stones versus words is not true. Words build up or tear down. God created the world using words. The Bible says Jesus IS the Word. To love your neighbor as yourself is to use words to build them up. Speaking words of encouragement to someone who’s down is the most obvious example but there are others. God calls us to encourage others on to become more Christ-like, but, again, our heart issues often get in the way. We take it to extremes, we often become self-righteous and judgmental, or we refuse to point out areas in others’ lives where God wants to bring freedom and truth. We can be more intentional with our words by looking for and magnifying the good. The first major step in becoming one of those who love their neighbors as themselves is to decide to live a life from a compassionate heart and spirit. We can always find something good if we’ll take the time to look for it. Examples of this are giving someone a compliment and telling someone you appreciate them.“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” John 1:1-3 (NKJV).

Jesus did not spend His time around the saved, but the unsaved. We should model our lives after His. Seek out someone that God has placed on your heart. Seek them and love them for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Jesus ate with tax collectors, he talked with prostitutes and spent time with the sick. His reputation was not even a factor. He spent time with them because He loved them unconditionally. We have to put pride and our reputations down at the cross if we want to truly love others. Loving your neighbor means making allowances for other people's humanity. Celebrating can be difficult for us at times, especially if our neighbor is getting something we have longed for. As we adjust to these new times and changing lifestyles, it can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate this new landscape. We live in a day and age when offense is as common as breathing. Love is not easily offended or critical. Everyone does dumb things; no one is always right or knows everything. We’re all a work in progress. You can remember sitting through a green light. You may remember that when I encounter people driving too slowly, sitting at lights, or even cutting me off. Maybe they have a reason. Maybe they’re just being human. We’re imperfect beings that do dumb things often. Giving people the benefit of the doubt is loving your neighbor. You will find it necessary to practice a range of standard disciplines for the spiritual life in order to receive the compassion, grace, and growth required to live a life of neighbor love.“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” Galatians 5:14-15 (NKJV).

Loving your neighbor means sharing in their joys and sorrows. Loving your neighbor as yourself is showing up and being there with your heart open, allowing them to be what they are and support them. Jesus used the question to challenge the attitude of the day. Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” The parable of the Good Samaritan defines what it means to love your neighbor. In the story, a man is beaten by robbers and left half-dead on the side of the road. While he lies helpless on the treacherous thoroughfare, a priest sees the man and deliberately walks by on the other side of the road. Later, a Levite responds the same way when he sees the dying man. Finally, a Samaritan sees the victim and responds. “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him” Luke 10:29-37 (NKJV).