Do you love your neighbours? Are you finding it difficult to love them? Is it even possible for us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves? What do you think? Why do you think Jesus commanded us to do so? You see, sometimes we confuse love with so many things. Sometimes we do not truly love ourselves either, so how can we give what we do not have to others. So it holds true then that we must first love ourselves before we can love others.
What does it mean to love oneself? One of the primary ways we express love to ourselves is the way we care for ourselves. Each day when we are hungry, we look for food. When we feel cold, we clothe ourselves with warming clothes to keep us warm. When we are treated badly, we feel bad and complain. Then, we try to fix it as best as we can. When we have needs, we try to meet them accordingly. We do this because we are thinking about ourselves, and we do this naturally.
On the contrary then, how can we say we love our neighbour as ourselves when we envy our neighbour? How can we say we love our neighbour as ourselves when we slander our neighbour? How can we say we love our neighbour as ourselves when we are so judgmental of our neighbour? How can we say we love our neighbour when we find it so hard to forgive our neighbour? How can we say we love our neighbour when we ignore the needs of our neighbour? How can we say we love our neighbour when we victimize, abuse or marginalize our neighbour? Would we do those things to ourselves?
You see, the commandment to love our neighbour does not require a mere feeling sorry for the situation of the needy. It needs practical action. Jesus himself demonstrated his love both in word and actions. He provided practical help according to people’s needs. He gave food to the hungry and healing to the sick. He defended the weak such as the poor, children, and women. He also welcomed with love those who were excluded by others, and considered as outcasts, impure and foreigners. Jesus gave his own life in order to save the life of others.
Why did Jesus command us ….. “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” The answer to this question is to be found in the gospel of Mark. You see, in Mark, the authorities, the rich, and powerful had been characterized as people who loved themselves and not their neighbours. They interpreted the laws and traditions for their own benefit, and not for meeting the needs of the people. The scribes exploited the widows and the rich accumulated wealth and refused to share with those most in need around them. Instead of serving the people, the authorities lorded over them. The powerful did not care for the weak, but oppressed and marginalized them. The leaders secured their own lives by killing others. They killed John and plotted to destroy Jesus and at the end killed him. Those things demonstrated that the leaders and the rich loved themselves, but did not love their neighbours. Those actions showed that the leaders, the rich and the powerful lacked love for their neighbours. Hence, the reason for Jesus to give this command: “love your neighbour as yourself.”
You see, the lack of love for the neighbour was not limited to the leaders, the rich and the powerful only. Some of Jesus’ own disciples also lacked love for the neighbour. For example, Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter denied his Lord. So Jesus’ statement about loving the neighbour was meant to challenge not only the authorities, but also his own disciples to change this behaviour. As we observe the way in which we treat and speak to, or about ,each other, does it demonstrate that we love our neighbour as ourselves? What do you think? Therefore, today the commandment to love the neighbour still stands. It is directly directed to us as well. Through the gospel, Jesus is speaking to us and is telling all of us to love the neighbour. He wants us to love the neighbour as we love ourselves.
You see, loving ourselves is the measure for loving others. If we do not love ourselves, then we cannot love others. In saying that “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” Jesus intended us to learn that from the love for ourselves, we understand the need for others. That is, when we feel hungry, we recognize that other people are hungry as well. When we need to clothe ourselves, we understand that others also need clothes. When we have a need, know that others too have needs. If we feel hurt when treated badly, we understand that others as well feel the same when we treat them badly.
If we have shelter and live in a house or apartment with a roof, we know that others also have no shelter and that they also need one. If we feel pain and mourn when our beloved one is killed by the gun, we realize others too feel pain and languish when their loved ones lose their lives by gun crimes. We too need to realize this, feel their pains and then do something about it.
Our love for a neighbour is an expression of our love for God. Jesus says we should love our neighbours as ourselves because he knows that by loving the neighbour we demonstrate our love for Him. So, my fellow Anguillian, if you claim to love God you must love your neighbour as well, otherwise, you are not speaking the truth – for as it is written in 1 John 4:19-21, “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. … Those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” Love requires action. It is not something we try to get for ourselves, but instead is an action we express to others through sharing and serving. Can you imagine what our country would be like, if our people loved each other this way?
Remember: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 2. Contact information: 476-3517 or email:marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
