Have you ever stopped to think about what the commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself” truly means? We all frequently say we love so many things in this life…cars, food, places we visit, things of material value, but the truth is, we can’t really love anything that doesn’t have the capacity to love us back.
Love comes in all different shapes and sizes. It is one of the most talked about subjects on earth today. Movies are made about it, books written around it and internet sites created just for it. People live their entire lives pursuing this thing called love. The Bible talks about love explicitly as its central theme and is, in essence, a love letter to us from the Creator of the universe. All the laws it lists can be reduced to two simple principles: Love God and love others. I John 4:8 tells us “But anyone who does not know love does not know God—for God is love.” It is clear that to love others according to biblical standards is more than just an emotional feeling or sexual attraction. Love encompasses sacrifice. Christ lived a life of sacrifice, service and humility. God came in the form of a man to reveal sinless unconditional love without the thought of receiving anything in return. It was that eternal love through grace that saved us and it is that same grace, once accepted, that instills an ever longing desire to love others as He loves us.
If there is one sin that I have suffered most from next to my own self pride it would be to judge others in my heart without giving a thought as to the possibility of their personal sufferings and needs. When Christ was asked what the most important of all commandments were, He quoted the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself along with loving God with all you heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:29-31) In addition, the Gospel of Luke 10:25-27, discusses Jesus answering the question of an expert in religious law on how we receive eternal life. Jesus turned the question around and asked the religious teacher what the law of Moses said. His answer was stunningly simple, “You must love the Lord your God with all you with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself.” The Apostle Paul said the whole law that governs our lives could be summed up in this one command. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14) That, in and of itself, should tell us of its importance and give us a strong desire to seek and live according to its meaning. To love others is one thing, to love them as we love ourselves is something all together different.
Today people are confused about love. Love is the greatest of all human qualities and it is an attribute of the Creator. Love involves unselfish service to others giving evidence that you care. Faith is the foundation and contract of the biblical message. Hope is the attitude and focus while love is the action. When faith and hope are in line, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves.
To understand this better we must take an honest look at our character and how we see ourselves which will be shown through our ability to love, willingness and desire to help others in need and our actions (the love we show for others), such as patience, understanding, forgiveness, giving of ourselves, etc. My ability to love and show love reveals the magnitude (or lack thereof) of the love I possess for my Creator. Perhaps the most
compelling of all statements concerning our love for others was in John 15:12-13 when Jesus Himself said, “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.” Lay down my life? Are you kidding? I have a hard enough time just finding a moment to call and check on someone yet it is clear that we are to give of ourselves, especially to those we love in need, beyond our normal comfort zone. Friend, if that doesn’t get your smoke stack burning and shake the very foundation of what you are made of, I don’t know what will. The depth of our love for and relationship with the Almighty is revealed by the love we show toward others. The fruit of our spirit…not just words, but by actions.
As someone who experienced being on the receiving end of the spectrum during one of the darkest phases of my life, I realized the importance and meaning of having others express their love toward me. I never knew just how much it meant to have friends and family by my side, believing in me when my world was temporarily turned upside down. During those times I was humbled to have friends and professional acquaintances throughout the country rally around me, friends I haven’t seen or heard from in years, come out of the wood work to support me, love me and be there for me and my family in my time of need. On the other hand, I also witnessed the exact opposite in some people I have known all my life, even those that called me their best friends receiving only words filled with void and no apparent effort to even reach out and just be there. Many later apologized, saying they were too busy while others said they just didn’t know what to say and therefore chose to say nothing.
Pastor, Christian comedian, and dear friend, Dr. Dennis Swanberg (AKA The Swan) said it so well when he spoke of friends that are hurting by saying, “We just need to show up.” People think and wonder what they will say or how they should act when something painful happens to someone they know. How about just showing up for starters? Dr. Charles Stanley tells a story of preaching a funeral for a man as the daughter sit on the front row weeping profusely. After he spoke he walked down to comfort her asking if there was anything he could do to help her. The lady responded by telling him she was just thinking about the times that her and her father went fishing together. Dr. Stanley conversed with her about how enjoyable those times must have been and all they must have talked about. The lady, still very emotional, responded by saying, “No sir. We didn’t talk about anything. We just fished.” It is not what we say as much as what we do. We just need to show up.
Common phrases such as “I love you”, “We love you”, “Let us know if there is anything I or we can do” or the favorite and most popular of all, “We are praying for you”, are all wonderful words but they do little in the long run to help without acts of kindness and sacrifice. Maybe it’s time we stop asking and start doing. Simple actions such as writing, staying in contact, sending cards, visiting or performing gestures of kindness for the families of those that are hurting are priceless and never forgotten. If you have ever lost a loved one or went through a tragic event you know what I am speaking of. You never forget the faces of those that are present to support you, pray for you and lift you up. Experiencing both ends of giving and receiving love has made me realize that, before I experienced adversities in my own life I too, was on the wrong side. Seeing people help my family and put down their own momentary desires to help allowed me to see who really embraced the definition of the word “love” and who didn’t. It also allowed me to see what people were really made out of on the inside. Proverbs 17:3 says, “Fire tests the the purity of silver and gold but the Lord tests the heart.” True character is revealed in times of adversity.
It has been said, “Adversity introduces a man to himself.” When we are faced with adversity, the way we handle ourselves, how we look at others and the example we leave for others to follow are the things that will last for eternity. We must remember that even for those whom we perceive as strong possessing the courage to fight, overcome obstacles and persevere against overwhelming odds, the need for love still remains. Taking time for others may be inconvenient but it is essential in the overall restoration process. It is what was meant by the profound and life changing words of loving your neighbor as yourself or, for that matter, honoring your father and your mother.
The Apostle Paul defined love best in I Corinthians 13: 4-8 when he wrote, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own
way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever…” When you find that kind of love in your life you have found the meaning of life itself. My wife is an example of that to me. It is my prayer and hope that I can exemplify that in return to her as well as my children, family, friends and, last but not least, toward those in need.
Perhaps you have someone in your life that you know needs a friend or a shoulder to cry on. Maybe someone in your family is in need and you are leaving the problems in one of your siblings’ hands. Or maybe you know someone like a friend of mine who spent time in a federal prison camp for an unintentional administrative oversight and his brother, the only family member or person left in his life to depend on, decided he was too embarrassed to help or be associated with him in leaving him to find his own way once released. The next time you are faced with someone you know traveling through the dark valley’s of life, stop for a moment and think what you would need if that were you. Whatever is pressing in your life will most likely be there for you when you return from giving a few moments of your time.
Love endures and is greater than all other human qualities. “There are three things that endure—faith, hope and love—and the greatest of these is love. Let love be the highest
goal…” (I Cor. 13:13) Put love first and love will eventually be your guiding light. Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone once said, “When our attitude toward ourselves is big, and our attitude toward others is generous and merciful, we attract big and generous portions of success.” Accepting and giving love brings peace into your life that no amount of money can ever buy. Unfathomable peace that is chased by many and found by few. That same love leads to true success, true abundance and true meaning while defining who you really are. I can’t speak for you but I think most would agree, that is a life worth striving for.
About the author
Dr. Dallas Humble is a healthcare provider, business owner, professional consultant, author and founder of The Reshape Institute. Dr. Humble consults with individuals and organizations across the country to improve productivity, identify & mitigate injuries and promote wellness. For more information visit www.dallashumble.com.
