I wonder if, like me, you have held this commandment rather lightly, and seen it as ‘doing good’ to those in need? It was something I ‘did’ rather than a way of being, believing and loving. However, I have been challenged to a new perspective.
It has dawned on me that this commandment truly rates next to ‘Love God with all you are, heart, mind, soul/will and strength’. Of course this is what Jesus said, or what the commandments given through Moses says but I had not fully understood ‘loving myself’ so could only follow the ‘rules’ about ‘loving my neighbour’. But a recent spiritual growth zoom session which I was leading for others, led to a new awareness of an area I was not trusting God with. I surrendered it to God, and found His love piercing greater depths. When I willed to trust God with the deeper effect of trauma, I turned another corner in the journey of redemption and healing.
In this process more of my mind was freed to love and trust God, rather than struggle, though subconsciously, with the ‘Why?’ of my abuse. This freed my mind to turn from me, and focus on what God was putting in front of me, in the now. I found myself learning and engaging with new technological computer issues with greater courage and trust. Following this breakthrough with my mind, I was led to surrender more self-protection and defensiveness, and my will was freed to serve and love with openness to the ‘other’.
Looking at it now from the other side of the fence, how can we love and serve others when, in essence, we are subconsciously regarding them as potential abusers and protecting ourselves from them? Also we cannot engage with new learning that challenges all we’ve known and been familiar with, when we do not trust God to provide for us in the unknown.
These two turning points make me see how partial our love for our neighbour is, when we are not totally surrendered to God and are not receiving His love. How can we purely love our neighbour, anyone who comes within our realm of life, if we do not receive and live God’s love for us in all its fullness? This of course means greater and greater love and trust.
Maybe you too feel, as I do, that it feels rather dangerous to believe in a loving God who will provide for us, and is ‘preparing a table for us in the presence of our enemies’ (Psalm 23) If we take the fullness of God’s love and commandments, loving our neighbour is also loving our enemy and them that despise us. …In other words if we live as Christ lived, and died, we do not differentiate between our ‘neighbour’ and our ‘enemy’ because through the Cross and obedience of Christ they are the same. The Father brings resurrection!!
Dearest readers, it is a joy to share this with you. And though I know this is not yet fully put to the test, (Thank you Lord for Your mercy) I sense a new opening to embrace ALL as children of God. I cannot trust in my own righteousness and judgement about what or who is good, but see all as journeying. There are those who have only experienced the crucifixion and death of the soul, even in utero, because they were never wanted, loved or blessed. Am I willing to ‘see’ through the Father’s eyes and inwardly bless them, even if they cannot/will not receive any overt kindness and blessing, and their defences separate them from the beautiful, good and true?
I was once in this ‘figurative pit’ where I hated flowers, especially roses – and pink roses above all!! In and through Christ, this is healed…through knowing more and more of His love, and losing the fear of ‘all that is in the dark’. SO loving my neighbour takes on the potential height and depth, length and breadth of Christ’s love, as I embrace all He has given me, and His promises to uphold me.
Lord, In meekness, I offer you all you have given me. May I find your eyes to see my neighbour, who ever they are, and be given wisdom to love them where they are and according to what they need to receive, and grace to invite them to resurrection.
Beautiful article, thank you!