Loving Our Neighbors

A religious expert asked Jesus a question humans have been asking for millennia: How do I inherit eternal life?

Jesus didn’t need to invent a new law or theology. The answer was ancient, written into the Scriptures long before: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Ever since God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt and formed them into a new nation, these two loves were central. Love God with everything in you, everything you are. And love your neighbor as you love yourself. As Jesus says, the whole law of God is summed up in these two steps. If we keep love of God and each other as our guiding star, we won’t go too far off course.

As easy as this is to understand, it is so hard to follow. We have so many of our own tasks and worries to think about. And in our current context, we hardly know our neighbors. We’re more likely to be suspicious of them than actively align our lives to serve and care for them. We’re isolated into our own homes, our social circles scattered across the globe. We might be video-chatting with friends thousands of miles away and have no idea who lives next door.

Yet Jesus plainly says our priority (alongside loving God) is to love our neighbors. Not just a little bit, but as we love ourselves. To care for our communities as we care for our own families.

Imagine how different the world would be if Christians everywhere actually did what Jesus said and loved our neighbors! Maybe Jesus was onto something.

What tangible, practical steps could you take to get to know your neighbors and the people in your community, build relationships, and serve each other? How can you step out in love, rather than fear?