🏳️‍🌈✝️❤️ Love Your Neighbor, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

Written By Melissa Jansen

12/23/2017 

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"The second most important commandment is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:31

Perhaps you’ve had this conversation with God before. You get along with most of your literal neighbors, but there’s just that one who gets on your last nerve. The one who lets their dog do his business in your yard without cleaning it up. Or the one who blares loud music at 1:00 a.m. when you’re trying to catch some sleep.

 

Why bother, right?

 

Wrong.

 

God didn’t suggest that you love them, He commanded it. And that’s not just the literal neighbors He was referring to. The creator of every man, woman, and neighbor thought it important enough to label it the “second most important,” implying that we are to love others (ALL others) as we love ourselves, and to let that follow only after loving Him with everything we have. Simple instructions: Love God. Love others. However, in our flesh we struggle to do that daily. We allow our friends, family members, and even strangers to offend us.

 

Just recently, I found myself offended and struggling to forgive three “neighbors.” Thankfully, God reminded me I don’t have a choice. Though you and I repeatedly sin, God still loves us and forgives us. Because we love Him, we must also follow His commands and truthfully, love is much easier. It frees us!

 

Father, thank you for making your instruction about love so simple. Help us to love as you love. Help us to have your vision and your heart as we communicate with our neighbors. In your holy name, Amen.

 

Go deeper — Make a list of those in your inner circle (including literal neighbors) who you need to forgive. Ask God to open a door so that you can show them your love despite your negative feelings. Ask Him to give you His eyes to see them how He does, and to love them as He does. Pray about taking a step toward reconciliation today.

 

Learn More ― If forgiveness doesn’t come easy for you, as it doesn’t for most of us, read Getting Rid of All Bitterness.