Do you love your neighbor?

[Cool-Universe]

Before we start this short devotion lets look at the two most important commandments that God gave us. In fact every command that God expects of us can be summed up in these two central commands. They are found in Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

37And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

38"This is the great and foremost commandment.

39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

I like to evaluate myself from time to time and see how my walk is doing. I ask myself several questions. Am I growing in loving God? Am I growing in loving my family? Am I showing kindness to my co-workers? Am I showing love to my neighbors?

As I think on these things, I have to be careful that I don't set aside growing in love for my neighbors. It is a big teaching. In fact half of what Jesus teaches in this verse is loving our neighbor. If I'm not growing in this area I'm missing the broad side of the barn.

How often do you do good to your neighbor ? Do you know them by name?

I am not saying these things to make anyone feel bad. If you are falling short then make a plan right now to show some kindness this week. Have your mind ready to act. Ask God for wisdom on how to be kind this week. Then act on it.

Before you move on from this devotion to do something else please stop. Stop and don't think about anything else until you make a plan of how you will show kindness towards your neighbors this week.

I hope this stirs someone up to show love.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)

God bless

[childeye]

Before we start this short devotion lets look at the two most important commandments that God gave us. In fact every command that God expects of us can be summed up in these two central commands. They are found in Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

37And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

38"This is the great and foremost commandment.

39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

I like to evaluate myself from time to time and see how my walk is doing. I ask myself several questions. Am I growing in loving God? Am I growing in loving my family? Am I showing kindness to my co-workers? Am I showing love to my neighbors?

As I think on these things, I have to be careful that I don't set aside growing in love for my neighbors. It is a big teaching. In fact half of what Jesus teaches in this verse is loving our neighbor. If I'm not growing in this area I'm missing the broad side of the barn.

How often do you do good to your neighbor ? Do you know them by name?

I am not saying these things to make anyone feel bad. If you are falling short then make a plan right now to show some kindness this week. Have your mind ready to act. Ask God for wisdom on how to be kind this week. Then act on it.

Before you move on from this devotion to do something else please stop. Stop and don't think about anything else until you make a plan of how you will show kindness towards your neighbors this week.

I hope this stirs someone up to show love.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)

God bless

I'm a bit hesitant to write here on this thread. My guess is someone will get offended. From my perspective of Truth in accordance with the Holy Spirit it is not I who Loves, but Love that Loves in me. In view of this, it is God that lives in a man that is man's light. If one could imagine what the world would be like without compassion or empathy for one another, it would be easy to understand why we should Love God with all our heart, mind and soul. Such is our depravity without His Spirit in us, that we could not even keep the first commandment without acknowledging this Love.

The second commandment is more applied to reasoning since it contains both subjective and objective points of view at once. The Love of God does not embrace only those who are likable or courteous such as the carnal mind does, but requires us to love those who are sinners, and ugly and smelly and infirmed. Where ever the relationship will cost us the most in treasure, time, patience, is where the Love of God will be seen. In fact this Love is not of ourselves since we do not want to follow it for fear of the price to ourselves. This is why Jesus says we must deny ourselves to follow him. Therefore when you become old and a burden and others have to help you with the smallest of tasks, thank God for those people who walk in the Love of God, for it is not them who do it, but God moving them through His Spirit to love others as we would want to be loved.

[Ddavid from NC]

I have always thought of this command from the standpoint that whoever is in front of me or in my line of sight is my neighbor. If I would just love and interact with these in a Christ like manner, oh the impact I would make on my little corner of the world.

[MelodyCat]

Before we start this short devotion lets look at the two most important commandments that God gave us. In fact every command that God expects of us can be summed up in these two central commands. They are found in Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

37And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

38"This is the great and foremost commandment.

39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

I like to evaluate myself from time to time and see how my walk is doing. I ask myself several questions. Am I growing in loving God? Am I growing in loving my family? Am I showing kindness to my co-workers? Am I showing love to my neighbors?

As I think on these things, I have to be careful that I don't set aside growing in love for my neighbors. It is a big teaching. In fact half of what Jesus teaches in this verse is loving our neighbor. If I'm not growing in this area I'm missing the broad side of the barn.

How often do you do good to your neighbor ? Do you know them by name?

I am not saying these things to make anyone feel bad. If you are falling short then make a plan right now to show some kindness this week. Have your mind ready to act. Ask God for wisdom on how to be kind this week. Then act on it.

Before you move on from this devotion to do something else please stop. Stop and don't think about anything else until you make a plan of how you will show kindness towards your neighbors this week.

I hope this stirs someone up to show love.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)

God bless

Thanks!