Love Thy Neighbor

A sunny day with temperatures in the fifties greeted me—perfect for a morning jog around the neighborhood. As I (slowly) ran, I noticed a new sign dotting the landscape. Love Thy Neighbor. Amen and amen. Jesus preached love and lived it. He demonstrated it with the ultimate sacrifice of laying down His own life for mankind. He taught us that by loving others, we show our love for God.

But sometimes in our attempt to love one of our neighbors, we judge another. We point fingers and accuse a person or group of not loving like we think they should. Our motives turn messy. In the end, we pick and choose those to whom we will show love and turn away from those we think are undeserving. Our love doesn’t look at all like Jesus’ love.

How does that happen? Maybe we’ve forgotten something.

Maybe we’ve forgotten the command Jesus gave in Mark 12 that goes with the “love thy neighbor.” When a scribe came to Jesus and asked which commandment was the most important, “Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, ‘Hear O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NASB)

We need time with God before we spend time with others. He teaches us how true love looks and acts. He reminds us of His great compassion toward us, and longs for us to extend that same care toward our neighbors.

When we come into God’s presence, He brings us face to face with ourselves. We see the log in our own eye instead of the speck in our brother’s. Time spent with Him purifies our hearts and motives. When we confess our sins, He forgives and cleanses us. He gives us the power to love others.

May we never miss a day with Him! He will fill our hearts so full that His love will overflow, spilling into the life of each of our neighbors.

Now it’s your turn! In what ways has God shown His love to you? How do you show His love to others? Please leave your comments in the box below.