Galatians 5:14 says," For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ' You shall love your neighbor as your self." And we also have the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-28. The lawyer questions Jesus about how to inherit eternal life. Jesus says to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it? And he answered,' You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your strength and with all of your mind, and your neighbor as your self. Jesus replies," You have answered correctly, do this, and you will live."
Then the lawyer asks another question," Who is my Neighbor?" I have read this parable time and time again. This is one of the parables that I remembered as a little girl in a Sunday School lesson and have never forgotten it. I always thought to my self," How could that priest,and Levite never stop to help the man that had been robbed, beaten, and half dead? I would never do that!" Of course, if I saw a man or someone who had any of those things happen to them I would call 911 and try to assist them in some way!
But seriously, think about that question," Who is my neighbor?" We have narrowed this answer down to fit our perspective and personal callings so comfortably. Our answers would say, " My neighbor is the person that lives next door to me"~"My neighbor is my close friends and family"~ "My neighbor is the people with in my church." I think that all of these would be correct answers but only in part. Could my neighbor be anyone I pass by? Could my neighbor be that homeless person I passed by while driving today? But these are the kind of people that haven't done anything for me, nor will they probably ever will. But I think that is the beauty of it. To love someone, or to show love to someone who hasn't nor may ever love you back. Isn't that what Jesus Christ did for us!?!
This answer makes it really uncomfortable doesn't it? It took the whole love thy neighbor as thyself equals easy out of the equation. It did for me. But I think that this is part of this whole dying to myself. Because to love someone as much as me means to love me less. It takes away from what is comfortable and convenient. Of course we have to use wisdom and discernment.But a lot of times we want to justify our selfishness and call it wisdom and discernment.Am I foolish to say that I can meet every need that I see? That's the beauty of it. It's not about me and what I can do. It is about Him, and what He wants to do through me. Listening to the Shepard's voice, and tending to His flock. To reach out to everyone may be out of the question, but so is not reaching out at all. The excuses of not having anything to give, are out the window. I carry bags of groceries in my car, and on a chilly night like tonight, I grab my warmest blanket out of my linen closet. Because I wouldn't want to be hungry and I surely wouldn't want to be cold.
Not matter what God has called us to do (teachers, worshipers, pastors, mothers, fathers,etc.) we are all called to love thy neighbor as thyself.
Father, forgive me for not loving my neighbor as myself. I have been completely selfish. Forgive me for loving You less and loving me more. Please open my eyes,and open my heart to truly love thy neighbor as thy self. No matter how uncomfortable or painful it might be.
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