Love Thy Neighbor Part 2

By Gail · 2 Comments

We’ve all heard people say (or said it ourselves) that we love someone because of their relationship to us. Brother, sister, parent, child. We end that statement with the fact we don’t enjoy them. It sounds something like this: “I love Zoe because she’s my daughter, but I don’t really like her.” Don’t get me wrong here, I may not have said this out loud, but I’ve thought it before.

Jesus didn’t tell us to love our neighbors and not really have to like them. It kind of seems like an oxy moron to me. I also understand that love is more than just a word. It’s an action. It’s something we do. I suppose we can ‘do’ something for our neighbor without really liking them. However, then, the motive of the heart comes into play. To which, I cannot be the judge. I do know my own heart though.

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” Galatians 5.13-15

So, how do we manage this one? How do we truly like and love our neighbors, our children, the people we go to church with, that lady in the grocery store who is being obnoxious? That one person we don’t want to stop us and talk to us? How do we love the way Jesus loves?

Again, I don’t have it figured out. I wish I had some great answers for this one. I’m not really sure if anyone has this one completely, 100% down, 100% of the time. If you do, I’d love to hear from you. Maybe it is my critical spirit that hinders me from seeing the best in people. Maybe it’s been the hurt in my life that keeps me from trusting people too much. Maybe it is my over protectiveness of my children that keeps me from letting them get to close to other children.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic!

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2 Responses to Love Thy Neighbor Part 2

Karen says:

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Dearest Gail, The love that we have is only from the Lord…for on our own strength we can go no where! We love because He first loved us! We give out love, send out love, for the unquenchable love that wells up inside us! And as for Loving our Children (even those strong willed, often times willful and defiant) this same love for them must be from the Lord as well. Because we too are these children, there is a time in all of our lives, that we are willful against the Lord yet He has the Undying (And DYING) love for us that has brought us to this point in our lives that we call Him LORD! Yes our children that are difficult are hard! I know that the Lord is faithful to bring those children’s hearts back to us, and when He does it is indeed SWEET! I don’t know when that day will come….but it will, and you will rejoice with your steadfastness to them. Stand Firm in your Belief and love with a sacrificial love dedicating your love to the work of the Lord and watch Him bless! Ask Him for wisdom, for understand, and wait for His Work to be Done For that day will come…and tis so sweet when it does Love and Prayers!

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Kasey says:

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I read your first post on this topic, too, and I just want to assure you that you’re not alone. This is an area I have struggled. It is easy to put on a sweet smile and pretend, but having that smile come from the heart is another matter entirely. For me, it has been about first seeking to forgive, rather than focusing on finding love for the person. When I truly desire to forgive a person for the wrongs against me (even one of my children) God guides me along the way, usually showing me my own transgressions. It still isn’t something that I have “figured out”, but it is an area where I continue to try the Lord and find Him faithful. You have a precious heart, Gail, and an open and honest spirit…my guess is that you simply want the best for your children and want desperately to keep them from unsavory influences. That is the beauty of motherhood!

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