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Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

Robin Burroughs

"Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." " (Matthew 22:37-40)

In the context of the above passage, a particular Pharisee who was well versed in the Law of Moses tried to trick our Lord by asking Him which one of all the commandments was the most important. Jesus quickly quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. These two commandments stand as the foundation of every commandment given by God to Israel. We are to love God with our whole being, and we are to love our neighbors. We probably have memorized Matthew 22:37; and if we were asked, we probably would say that we love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. What about our neighbor? Who is our neighbor? According to the Greek word, plesion, it means any other man irrespective of nation or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet. That means any person and every person in which we have contact. The easy to love person, the hard to love person, the difficult person, the nice person, the ugly person, the overweight person, the beautiful person and the rude person. It also means my husband, my children and all my family members. We are to love them as we love ourselves. It gives the golden rule a new meaning doesn't it? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We should say, Do unto others, as you would only do unto your own selves!

What kind of love am I to have for my neighbor? The word for love in this passage is agape, an unselfish, unconditional, sacrificial love. The same word used to describe the love that God has for us. "We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19 KJV)

Love for our neighbor is "love in action." We demonstrate that love by actively serving others and showing mercy and kindness. We do not choose whom we will treat as neighbor; rather, we choose to be a neighbor. We are able to love our neighbor regardless of who he or she is because of who we are in Christ. Jesus gave an example of "love in action" in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Please read Luke 10:25-37. Once again, a Jewish expert of the law tried to trap and discredit Jesus by asking Jesus what one must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus declared the man was the expert in Mosaical law and asks him to answer his own question. The man's reply was to love God with all his being and to love one's neighbor as himself. Jesus replied that his answer was correct, and that if he did that he would have eternal life. The man then asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus then told of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus proved that a neighbor was a fellowman.

How can I show my love to my neighbor? Jesus gave us an example.

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:34-40 KJV)

What will happen if I do not love my neighbor as God has commanded?

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Matthew 25:41-46 KJV)

Most of us, as women, are very compassionate; but sometimes we choose whom we will be compassionate toward. According to the above scriptures, it is not our choice. Choosing whom we will be compassionate to is dangerous for our souls. We are to love everyone. To have compassion for everyone. To help everyone.

If I truly have the right attitude of love, then I will take seriously the great commission. As much as I love my own soul, I should love the souls of all men.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

Who is your neighbor? How will you demonstrate that unselfish, unconditional, sacrificial love?

Questions:

1. What two verses did Jesus quote to the Pharisee in Matthew 22:37-40?

2. How are we to love God?

3. What is the Greek word used for love in Matthew 22:38?

4. What is the definition of that Greek word?

5. Who is your neighbor?

6. Is the love that we have toward our neighbor active or inactive?

7. Discuss the Good Samaritan.

8. What examples did God give to showing love to our neighbors?

9. What is it that allows us to love our fellowman?

10. Do you know someone who is in need of something?

11. Demonstrate your love today.