And the Second
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:39 (NIV)
Second and similar to the greatest commandment is to love yourself and your neighbour. This reveals the truth that you can only love your neighbour to the extent that you love yourself. Why?
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Matthew 7: 17-18 (NIV)
Love always produces love.
By Love
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35 (NIV)
What differentiates a Christian from other people is their walk of love. Love is the platform from which we live our lives. Love is the atmosphere in which we thrive. Outside of love, noone can associate us with He who is Love.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4:19-21(NIV)
Last week we learnt that love for God is obedience to His commands. Therefore, if we love God, we must obey His command of loving others. In fact, so important is this command that the Bible equates love for others with the fulfilment of the law.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8 (NIV)
The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right.
James 2:8 (NIV)
And love does not discriminate. You cannot choose which neighbour you will love and which you will hate. You should love all. Why? Because Love (God) does not discriminate.
But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son…
Romans 5: 8,10 (NIV)
God loved us when we were His enemies. This love is available to all. Therefore, we too should love all.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Matthew 5 : 43-47 (NIV)
Your Turn
Today, I ask you to look at yourself in the mirror of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
What does this mirror reveal about you? Are you walking in love with yourself and others?