Who is my neighbour?

“The only way we will love our neighbour as ourselves is by getting to know our neighbours, even in our differences.”

Eric Overby

Yesterday was the start of a new week, but I decided to take a break from social media as I noticed, wasn't in the mood at all. I came back from Church, found something to prepare, and was on WhatsApp all through. I think it's better because I know such a long moment wouldn't be spent on WhatsApp starting from Monday. I need time to grind more this week and achieve my target.

I was excited by a friend to open up to me about his problem, and I was glad I could help because he didn't know I could until he approached me. I told him you don't know someone until you move closer to him or her. We were only just friends and greeting each other, but it went formally yesterday, and I enjoyed our chats. At least, it made my day and took my focus away from online activities.

So, let's slide into today's article.....

Love your neighbour as yourself. Whether you are familiar with the Bible or not, you must have heard of this phrase before, because it is very common. This particular command was first written in the old testament (Leviticus 19:18) and in that scripture, we were told not to seek revenge or hold any grudge against people.

What comes to your mind when you are being told or commanded to love your neighbour? In the literal sense, a neighbour in this context would mean someone living next to our door right?

The word neighbour in the Hebrew means “plesion” and this means friend or any other person. We are supposed to love everyone! Not only that brother or sister living next door to yours. So, to put it this way; Love every person as yourself.

How do you love another person when you haven't even shown yourself, love? How do you love when you haven't shown love to your heavenly father?

The first commandment which comes before that is to love God with all your heart, soul and body. Then, the second which looks similar to it go the way like the above one.

How do you then show love to someone?

The argumentative family member

The frustrating lady or guy down the street

The cheating partner

The murderer

The friendly man at the grocery store etc

That's quite a lofty command, isn't it? But with all sincerity, it's essential and required of us to love everyone regardless of their actions or behaviours. At least, God has loved us unconditionally, and we are to extend such great love to our neighbour.

It's such a challenging command and it feels unattainable when we have to weigh or judge people's actions to measure up to our love for them.

It might appear more realistic when the Bible put it this way; “Love your neighbour, only when they are being nice to you” and “Do not love them when they do bad to you.” At least you get a pass for that.

But Jesus was pretty clear and specific in His command, “Love your neighbour as yourself and at all times.”

So, how do we love our neighbours? It's simple! We love God first, then ourselves second. When we love God first, it means we receive and accept His love because He first loved us. God's love for us is unconditional and sometimes, it difficult to explain, and harder to display such kind of love.

His love is unfathomable. This is why sometimes we often sink to the level of loving other people only when it's convenient for us.

Learning to love ourselves because of the value we see in Jesus which is indescribable will help and enable us to love our neighbours.

Thanks for your time

Image by Johnny Gios from Unsplash

[August 22, 2022] (No 234 articles for the year)