What does love your neighbor as yourself mean to you?

[Prophet of change Lou L]

Love this topic and Heaven unlimited your answer as well. Will be watching this Love to all. LET IT SHINE LET IT SHINE. Love covers a multitude of sins. His love for me covers mine and His love through me covers my neighbors. Mercy needed is mercy given.

[Churchmouse]

I think a lot of the negativity about ourselves in this world comes from this world. I've heard people say that they don't really love themselves and I tell you, before It really dawned on me what Christianity was about and what God's love was about I really didn't love myself. I didn't love myself because of all the things this world has thrown up in my face as their version of what beauty and perfection was to look like.  I didn't have the next new shiny bobble that they guaranteed  would bring my happiness and fulfillment.  I had been looking in so many places for that one magic pill that would make me the person I so desperately wanted to be, but It never came. Not with this purchase or with that one, either. I tried drinking and I tried drugs and everything worked to numb the pain but after I returned to reality, the same feeling of inadiquacy always returned.

I struggled with this for many years and unbeknownst to me, God came to rescue me, even without my knowledge. I will praise him to the highest, now so long after I should have, but I was too enthralled by my, seemingly new found idea that I actually liked myself and through that understanding and the mindset behind it, I started noticing that people actually were liking me. I started using my humor that might not be all appropriate here to get people to laugh and brighten up other peoples lives.

For an example, I am 5'5" and  when I met other short people who lament their height I would joke about me having to get a running start to get out of the bath tub or having to my having to use a step ladder to get into my shoes in the morning..  I have come to an even deeper understand through the Lord to honor people as individuals and look for anything that I can see about themselves that I can compliment and hopefully make them feel better about themselves. He's put that wisdom into my heart to do and I didn't realize it until just right now as I'm typing this. I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it and I am humbled by the thought. What a great thing we have in Jesus. What a wonderful life and a beautiful world, filled with so many excellent people he has given us. It hurts me sometimes to see that so many don't have this, but there are times when the moral and spiritual poverty of this world has created some people who have made such a spectacle of themselves that I just have to laugh and mock them, because of the utter frustration of seeing and hearing them wail against us.  I know this is not Christian, but sometimes it's soothing and I indulge in it until the I am at peace and the Holy Spirit returns and speaks to my through my conscience.  I have not always did so but I repent  now, of the sin of not loving these people enough to pity them instead of acting just like then and returning the taunts.

I think this is what Christ was eluding to when he talked about loving your neighbor as yourself. So often when don't really think of our faults as much as we think of the faults of others. Maybe we need to accept the faults of others as much, if not more than we accept ours. Maybe in doing that we can understand them better. Maybe we can find a way to bring them to Christ so he can heal their hurts as he did ours.

[Churchmouse]

2 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

In support of your post....

Romans 13:10, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."

Matthew 5:44-47
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so?

I Peter 4:6-11
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

One of my favorite people in the NT is John ... he called himself "John the beloved" because he had a revelation of God's love for him.  By inspiration of Holy Spirit, he wrote some of the most profound words about the love of God.   When we know that we're loved by God... that makes room for us to extend that love to others.  Even the 2 great commandments reflect this... simply put, to love God with all that is within us, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  (in that order)  We love God... and then others .... we cannot truly love others without knowing Him and dwelling first in His love.  If we ever find we aren't loving others like we should, we need to turn and renew our First Love = relationship with Jesus Christ.

John 15:9, "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."

I John 4:7-21
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

 

That was beautiful. Thank you and God bless you for being who you are.

[Blessed_Monk]

My understanding of the culture Jesus was raised in is that it was very closed. Jesus bridged the gap in that regard and yet are we suppose to love indiscriminately our neighbors? I think that is the question too.

[Churchmouse]

1 minute ago, Abby-Joy said:

Wow, thank you so much, and God bless you, brother ... I so enjoyed your testimony, btw... it's how we overcome... by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony.  Truly, our testimony is Jesus Christ, and what He has done in us. 

It's one of my favorite subjects, you know?  So amazing is His love for us ... I often find myself without words, in awe of it ... that He could love me.  I just can't get over it .... it is what keeps me when I get off track .... all I have to do is turn my face toward Him, and He just pours it out ... nothing else matters...

Psalm 34:8, "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."

His love is overpowering especially when we are in turmoil and are so out of sorts we don't realize he has just graced us with the answer and then, out of the blue  everything comes together and it hits us that it was his love that fixed everything. I think that is when we truly need him. Remember the poem "FOOTSTEPS IN THE SAND?"

[Churchmouse]

5 minutes ago, Blessed_Monk said:

My understanding of the culture Jesus was raised in is that it was very closed. Jesus bridged the gap in that regard and yet are we suppose to love indiscriminately our neighbors? I think that is the question too.

Good point. Jesus di do a lot for social development by what he taught.

[Churchmouse]

4 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

Yes...   His love is very humbling .... if we can only realize that the whole of the Word of God is a love story.... "... for God so loved... He sent.. "   ...hey, have you ever heard a song by a group called the Hinsons, called "Mercy Built a Bridge"?   I love praise and worship ... but once in a while, I break out the old stuff I used to listen to when I was first saved (1986) ... I was 13, and I used to sit in my room with my Bible and my southern gospel music and for hours, I would run the references in my Thompson Chain Bible, writing them in notebooks... and then writing the words to these songs in notebooks ... I was so hungry, I devoured everything I could find about Him.  That's how we always should be in our walk.  I admit, I fall short a lot.  I do believe it's time... don't you?  That's the answer for the Church .... returning, renewing our First Love... 

I looked the song up on youtube and am listening to it. Thank you. I was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness but thankfully left that. I didn't find God for a very long time after that. I did read the Bible until I was 25 and in the military. I never really searched him out in earnest until I was so distraught that I was about to have a nervous breakdown and on the floorboard of my truck as asked him for help because I couldn't handle life any more and that was the first time I felt him rescue me. I've went through many times which I have failed in doing what was right in his eyes, according to my understanding, but I've never stopped believing in him since that time on the floorboard. 

[Churchmouse]

38 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

Wow, wow ... thank you for sharing... brings tears to my eyes, He is so good to us .... I'm going to post the song in the music/videos section of the forum.  I've been listening to a playlist of the Hinsons since last evening... you might enjoy a song they sang called, "Broken Worthless Vessel."  Let me know what you think, okay?  

Thank you and I will. I love good Gospel music. You have a blessed day. Take care.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Churchmouse

[Heavenunlimited]

44 minutes ago, Churchmouse said:

I looked the song up on youtube and am listening to it. Thank you. I was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness but thankfully left that. I didn't find God for a very long time after that. I did read the Bible until I was 25 and in the military. I never really searched him out in earnest until I was so distraught that I was about to have a nervous breakdown and on the floorboard of my truck as asked him for help because I couldn't handle life any more and that was the first time I felt him rescue me. I've went through many times which I have failed in doing what was right in his eyes, according to my understanding, but I've never stopped believing in him since that time on the floorboard. 

I was jehowas witness for three years. Just seeking, no family thank God. Jesus came to me, as I was full of fear of leaving God. He came, He held His arms out and took deepseated pain and the fear. He filled me  up, held me. The fear never came back. I was changed to the core. Before that I had prayed for God to show me the truth. He did.

[Heavenunlimited]

1 hour ago, Giller said:

Mar 12:29-31
(29)  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
(30)  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
(31)  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
 

I personally think that first you must love God with all you have, but also allowing that love to flow over to others, to were you care for self and others.

Now loving thyself in this case does not refer to selfishly loving self, to were all your wants are met, but rather to were your needs are met, to were your caring about your well being, while also caring about the well being of others.

Here is a good scripture.

1Co 6:19-20
(19)  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
 

 

How do we put this into practise?  With ALL the heart? Mind? Strength?