Loving your neighbor may not be the same as liking them. Rather it is each of us seeing everyone we meet as an individual and as deserving of God’s love because they, too, are royalty. We don’t have to be in competition with one another because God has enough love to go around.
It’s a trap that is easy to fall into. Our own insecurities make it so easy to try to find something “wrong” with our neighbor in order to feel better about ourselves. Jesus suggests a better way. He says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Matthew 7:1, Luke 6:37) The Golden Rule is one measure of how we can love, forgive, and give to one another.
Jesus then goes on to ask “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.”That log in my eye is my inability to see you as a fellow child of God. I can be happily superior when I notice that you have a ‘speck’ in your eye, while complacently ignoring the log blocking my own vision.
Golden Rule.com is a call to Agape Love—active, unconditional, self-giving love as defined in I Corinthians 13:4-7. We’ve all heard the citation: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” It’s easy to recite the words, but not always easy to live them. That’s where GoldenRule.com comes in.
Golden Rule.com love—seats the despised at table.
Golden Rule.com love—washes the feet of those who we differ with.
Golden Rule.com love—embraces the leper.
Golden Rule.com love—offers the coat you are using to the one who has none.
Golden Rule.com love—puts others first.
Golden Rule.com love—believes that everyone is a fellow beloved Child.
Animals can sometimes teach us more than anything else. Reader’s Digest recently highlighted animal heroes who saved their families in spectacular ways. There are innumerable stories about dogs helping raise orphaned squirrels or puppies or even tiger cubs. Recently one story made the email rounds about a cat who acts as a seeing eye helper to the family dog who is blind. Cashew is a blind 14 year old Lab and Libby is a 7 year old cat who goes everywhere with him to make sure he gets to his food and anywhere else he wants to go. It's a touching story, that teaches us something important.
If the creatures we call ‘dumb animals’ can cross species boundaries--even interacting with natural enemies, then we should be inspired to extend our hand across cultural boundaries without fear. We are each loved unconditionally by God. Jesus died for each person, not just those we consider good or proper. What can you do to love your neighbor?Maybe it’s a note or card or email that says ‘hi.’
Perhaps it’s a thoughtful action like picking up a dropped paper in passing their desk.
Possibly it’s extending your hand to someone in need.
Or it might be just a hug that says ‘I’m here for you.’
Often it's just a smile as you pass a stranger on the street.
It could be that you feel the need to forgive someone who you feel has wronged you, keeping in mind that forgiveness is more about you letting go and moving on than about changing the other person or excusing what happened.
Share some of your ways of loving your neighbor. Doesn’t the act of friendship and kindness bring you into a closer relationship?
See you next week when the topic is "Loving Past Worry".
