“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31
Every day is a good day for a little self-examination! How are you doing at loving your neighbor the way you love yourself? Before you answer, remember that Jesus made clear in Scripture that your neighbor includes people like you and people different from you. Your neighbors are those like you in appearance, ethnicity, race, education, and economic status and people quite different from you. Your neighbors are the people who live close to you and the people you happen to randomly encounter lying in the road. Your neighbors are people in need and people who seemingly don’t need anything.
So…do you love your neighbor? The way you love yourself??? If you show yourself grace and understanding when you have a bad day, do you show that love to everyone you encounter? If you’d spare no expense to take care of your needs, do you show that love to everyone you encounter? If you’re inclined to indulge yourself even when you know better, do you show that love to everyone you encounter? If you’re patient with yourself and your shortcomings, recognizing that you’re a work in progress, do you show that love to everyone else in your life?
This Great Commandment should challenge you every single day. Every…single…day. This is the love Jesus has toward you. He calls you to imitate Him. He commands you to love others in this way. So examine yourself and if you fall short, ask for God’s grace and then show it to your neighbors. #FollowJesus