"Love thy neighbor as thy self"...can be a large order and gift

It is said, "Thou shalt Love thy neighbor as thyself." In actuality it fully states, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord." Leveticus 19:18

We are not only to love our neighbor, but we are not even allowed to avenge ourselves nor hold a grudge.  The word ‘avenge’ is a strong word.  It means “to take satisfaction for an injury by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on the wrong doer.”  How can one love their neighbor (friend, family members, acquaintances, or strangers) and take some kind of satisfaction in injuring them morally, professionally, spiritually, or physically? How can one love their neighbor and inflict pain or evil on another, even and especially if it is in a personal mental way by holding a grudge or hateful thoughts about them?

Isn’t this incongruent?  To say, “I love you” all the while one is holding a grudge or hating the person, nationality, or race?  Isn’t it actually impossible to love our neighbor and hate them at the same time?  Another definition to think about here is the word ‘hate’. It means to strongly dislike.  How can we love and dislike someone at the same time?

If we are truly loving our neighbor as ourselves, shouldn’t there be things that follow to make sense?  For instance, shouldn’t we have to like/love ourselves first? Otherwise how could we like/love another?  Wouldn’t that be a misnomer?  Second, how can we say words of love and yet hold a grudge, resentment, hateful harmful thoughts towards others?  Third, shouldn’t we see that by loving others fully we must be loving not only outwardly but also in our thinking?

To follow this Law of Love we must analyze our thoughts about everyone, ourselves included.  We must see that Love is God, the only “I am”.  We must fully pray for “that mind which was also in Christ Jesus” and learn to live Love.  This living Love has to include all and be not only an outward expression but also an inward spiritual directive in our lives.  We must be love to express this much love to all.

This type of living love not only blesses others but it magnifies the love that we are and have within us.  This living love blesses us immeasurably.

So let’s go to work today really loving our neighbor as ourselves!  That way we will be obeying not only this law of Love but also these words of direction: “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Romans 15:6

Being loving isn’t just talk, it is living love in our thoughts and walk in our daily lives.  Let us be loving, gentle, faithful children of God who is Love.

Gentle hugs