"A COMMITMENT TO LOVE OTHERS"

"And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Matthew 22:39

I once had an officemate who was a professing Christian. She was well aware of the Great Commandment but struggled to show genuine love for others. She would dislike others simply because she didn't like the way they dressed or spoke. She even refused to talk to those whom she didn't like. She said she loved God, but loving others seemed too hard for her.

Today's verse is a continuation of yesterday's blog. Jesus was asked about the Greatest Commandment. His first response was to love God with all heart, mind, and soul. The second is equally important: to love one's neighbours (others).

Jesus' response is a quote from Leviticus 19:18. The whole passage speaks about demonstrating selfless love for others and looking out for their interests. Practically speaking, loving others means sharing our blessings with others (including strangers), being honest in our dealings, being impartial, refusing to harm one's reputation, and never taking vengeance in one's own hands.

The kind of love God demands isn't only as good as feeling sorry for someone who lost his job or is diagnosed with a terminal disease. God wants us to love others as much as we love ourselves. In other words, Jesus is paraphrasing the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12).

I understand it's not that easy to show genuine compassion and concern for others, especially those who hurt us. Sometimes, it's the one closest to us that we find very difficult to love because they cause the deepest wounds.

We cannot separate loving people from loving God. They are two sides of the same coin. When we love others, we don't only mean flattering them with flowery speeches to gain their approval. To truly love others is to look past their flaws and weaknesses and have genuine compassion for their souls.

To share the Gospel to someone is the best expression of love, not only because it helps them see how God sees them, but it also introduces them to Jesus Christ. People's greatest need is God's forgiveness. The best way to demonstrate love for them is to tell them about the answer to their biggest problem: God.

Sharing the Gospel may not always be the most pleasant conversation, but it indeed is the most important. Besides, what's more significant than your neighbor's soul?

So, commit yourself to love others. Begin by telling them about Jesus.

Pursue the Saviour today!