Love... Is Neighborly
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
Speaking of TV (which we haven’t been:), in two shows, “Little House On The Prairie” and Hallmark’s popular “When Calls The Heart”... neighbors are often life-saving heroes!
Speaking of the Bible (which we HAVE been:), in two stories, “The Good Samaritan”, and “The Rich Man and Lazarus”, we see... one neighbor saves a life and one doesn’t:( *
Let’s recall our King’s next-to-the-top law, a COMMAND: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’!
Let’s clarify: How we treat our neighbors isn't only about their well-being (although, certainly, we should assist them). It's also about our own well-being… with our own happy ending, OR NOT.
Jesus illustrates who “our neighbors” are. They're people nearby God wants us to help. He puts them close to us (or before us)… with plans for our mutual benefit!
NOTHING is accidental.
If Christians serve an intentional God, then our neighbors are divine appointments– even the ones we'd prefer not to see. God loves them. He wants us to love them, too. (Love is an action, more than a feeling!)
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
Let’s ride this train of thought a bit further: Does social media form “neighborhoods”, where people see and “hang with” each other?
Satan’s team may have manufactured it, this new age of virtual connections, but the Lord God Almighty allowed it! Could He have allowed it… for your entrance?
Have you entered the labor of others, so the Lord can reap where He did not sow? Are you God’s virtual field laborers? I vote, YES!
NOTHING is accidental.
Therefore,
Tend to your friends and fans as best you can, because loving our neighbors as ourselves… is second only to loving God first.
Love… Is Neighborly (Part 56)
* Luke 16:19-31 NKJV - The Rich Man and Lazarus - “There was - Bible Gateway
* Luke 10:25-37 NIV - The Parable of the Good Samaritan - On - Bible Gateway
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re all called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re all called to be models of Jesus. We all have gifts, talents, and a commission to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend DAILY BIBLE READING.
WARNING: Don’t focus on your favorite verses, because taken out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!