Love Your Neighbour
I was just thinking about how Jesus told us to "Love your neighbour as yourself."
Lately I've noticed a trend.
A do-gooding trend.
A trend in the Church.
A 'let's do lot's of nice things for those outside our walls' trend.
Which is great.
I applaud it!
But let's not forget that Jesus taught us to first love our neighbour.
It is so easy to lose ourselves in 'good works' - feeding the hungry, going across the globe to the poor and needy, reaching out in the community, thinking of nice things to do for others... and forget to show love to those closest to us.
Who is my neighbour?
Let's start with: my spouse, my children, those in close proximity to me, those in my church.
What good is it to do a lot of 'good' things for needy people if you despise those closest to you?
What good are your good works if you harbour bitterness and resentment towards those nearest you?
Really, what good is it?
If we can't show love to our neighbour our good works are worse than a clanging cymbal. They are useless. They can't make up for the harm we do our neighbour when we are rude, insolent, judging, mean, unkind, hurtful, angry, disrespectful and ugly.
So, before you jump on the good-works wagon - go out and really, REALLY love your neighbour.
Lately I've noticed a trend.
A do-gooding trend.
A trend in the Church.
A 'let's do lot's of nice things for those outside our walls' trend.
Which is great.
I applaud it!
But let's not forget that Jesus taught us to first love our neighbour.
It is so easy to lose ourselves in 'good works' - feeding the hungry, going across the globe to the poor and needy, reaching out in the community, thinking of nice things to do for others... and forget to show love to those closest to us.
Who is my neighbour?
Let's start with: my spouse, my children, those in close proximity to me, those in my church.
What good is it to do a lot of 'good' things for needy people if you despise those closest to you?
What good are your good works if you harbour bitterness and resentment towards those nearest you?
Really, what good is it?
If we can't show love to our neighbour our good works are worse than a clanging cymbal. They are useless. They can't make up for the harm we do our neighbour when we are rude, insolent, judging, mean, unkind, hurtful, angry, disrespectful and ugly.
So, before you jump on the good-works wagon - go out and really, REALLY love your neighbour.
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