Wednesday, July 25, 2007

What are their names?

Our Lord said that the Second greatest commandment was the requirement to love your neighbor as yourself. This is well known, but it must be reiterated in every age because of how quick people are to erect barriers and excuses for their lack of faithfulness. So let me remind you that your neighbor is the one who lives next door to you. You neighbors are the people who live across the street, next door, and perhaps upstairs or downstairs from you. It should also be pointed out that the command to love your neighbor is not merely a prohibition against doing them harm. You have not fulfilled this command simply because you have not stolen anything from them, gossiped about them, or attempted to firebomb their house. You have not loved them merely by ignoring them. And the commandment has no qualifications. It does not say to love your neighbors when they are friendly to you. It does not say to love your neighbors when they are nice looking or are your same age, race, or income bracket. It does not say to love your neighbors only if they are nice to you. The commandment is to love you neighbor period. And if you needed a special invitation, the Scriptures elsewhere require Christians to love their enemies and to bless those who persecute them. This means that you are required to love your neighbors even if they hate you and have repeatedly told you so.

So, what are their names? How many children do they have? Where are they from? What do they do? What do they hope to do? What are their needs? How can you help them? How can you encourage them? How can you befriend them? How can you be grace to them?

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