From as far back as I can remember, "love your neighbor as yourself" has been resounding through fundamentalist churches, with the major emphasis on 'the neighbor' part. Being a good Christian, at least on the outside, is very important! 'Show love to the unlovable' I often heard: 'Don't hurt the cause for Christ' by showing any emotions. 'Turn the other cheek and endure persecution for the Lord' was another favorite. But what does that have to do with the context of these verses?
Personally, I believe the answer is nothing! That 'Christian ease' merely covered the fact that the real lesson wasn't to be looked at.
Two very important, symbiotic, themes are present in that simple command. The most obvious would be to love your neighbor. That's pretty basic. Treat others kindly, graciously and respectfully. If you wouldn't want something to be done to or said about you, don't do it or say it about another.
The second part, however, isn't as clear sometimes. There seems to be a big hang up on the 'as yourself ' part. Extreme fundamentalism teaches us to despise everything having to do with self. Taking time out of a busy day to rest is being lazy. Wanting some personal time is selfish. Wanting someone to help with a task is selfish and demanding, and the list goes on. How in the world are we to have any idea how to be loving to others when taught to hate ourselves?
For those who believe the Bible, it says we were made in Gods image. Over and over again it says God is love. So if God is love and we were made in His image, why such an emphasis on hate?
If God loves us, there must be something in us to love. If He sees worth and value each person, shouldn't we? I'm learning the more I accept myself, the more I can accept God's love. And the more I can accept His love, the easier it is for me to love others. What a simple yet rarely heard concept!
Learning to love myself hasn't caused me to become self-absorbed and self-centered. It's actually given me a greater compassion for others. The kinder I am to myself, the easier a time I have being kind to others. I don't see others through my distorted, self-loathing point of view.
How incredible it is to find freedom in truth!
Leviticus 19:18
... Love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the Lord.
Mark 12:31 NCV
The second command is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’
Galatians 5:14 NCV
The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
James 2:8 NCV
This royal law is found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
No comments:
Post a Comment