Neighbourhood (Photo credits: www.myparkingsign.com)
Loving God, Yourself, & Your Neighbor
Loving ain’t easy! When was the last time you did something kind or loving? The last time someone got on your nerves, how did you respond? Was it loving? If you have to reach back many days, months, or years to find a loving action in your life, something is wrong. In John 13:34, the Lord Jesus commands us to love, saying:
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. King James Version (KJV)
If You Love God, Keep His Commandments
Our ability to show love reflects whether we love the Lord, as John 14:15 Jesus said:
If ye love me, keep my commandments. King James Version (KJV)
The highest calling of any Christian is to love the Lord with all our soul, mind, and strength, have the mind of Christ, and live a life that is Christlike. Because God is love, the mind of Christ and the life of Christ are above all, loving. Who are we to love? The Bible instructs us to love God, love ourselves, and to love our family and neighbors, as we see in the following verses:
Matthew 22:37-39 King James Version (KJV)
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Loving Your Neighbor
Like the parable of the Good Samaritan, you might ask yourself “Who is my neighbor?” Your neighbor is more than someone who lives near you, looks like you, shares you culture or beliefs, has what you have, or wants what you want. In fact, the faceless person is also your neighbor, as is often the case with immigrants and people of different ethnic groups. The Bible says that immigrants should receive the same love and respect that we give citizens: Leviticus 19:34 says:
The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
In this verse, the word love means “like” and “friend” (Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary). So we are to like, be friends with, and friendly to people who live in our nation, but are not citizens.
How Important Is Love?
Love is so important, that all of the 10 Commandments are based on it. The 10 Commandments tell us to love God above all. We must reverence His name, worship Him only, and maintain the sanctity of His day of rest. Loving our parents makes it possible to honor them. When we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will not steal from them, take their life, bear false witness against them, or desire to have what is theirs.
Loving God, Neighbors, & Self Has Social Benefits
How many prison cells would be empty if everybody loved God and loved their neighbors as themselves? How many emotional and physical wounds and deaths would be prevented? When we look at the implications of God’s commands about love, we see that they are the very foundation of healthy and prosperous lives, families, cities, states, and nations. To not love God, is to not love yourself or your neighbor. So being unloving is to live in rebellion against Almighty God. The unloving life is a lawless life, as shown by burgeoning prison populations, and the increase in divorce, poverty, incarcerations, and physical/ mental illness.
Are you burdened by the consequences of a loveless life? Is your family threatened by divorce? Is your job in jeopardy because of something you’ve done? Are your friendships broken because of gossip? Has your child or grandchild dropped out of school? Are they in prison because they broke the law? The love of God is a remedy for all these and more. Repent of loveless living. Trust in God, learn of Him, love Him, and your thoughts and life will be established.
Until we meet again: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10)
– Your friend in Christ,
Verneda
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Related Reading:
What the Bible Has to Say About Love: Part I
What the Bible Has to Say About Love: Part II
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