Love Others as Yourself

Written by Shaela Druyon Sunday, 30 December 2007 00:00

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:34-40

If these are the two greatest commandments, the way for us to follow in Jesus' footsteps to the promised land of eternal bliss, how important is it for us to understand what they mean and how to practice them? Unfortunately, after hearing them so many times, they can begin to lose their power and meaning in our lives, especially if they remain only a concept and not an action in our day to day.

What does it mean, for example, to "love your neighbor as yourself?"  We could, in the words of another religious man, ask Jesus "Who is my neighbor?"  Well, who is your neighbor?  Think of an actual someone for a moment.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' ... "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Matthew 25:40 & 45.

Imagine that person you are interacting with (yes, the annoying one, or the boring one, or the one that ticks you off or hurts you) is Christ.  Their needs are his needs; their face, his face.

Now let's go deeper.  Imagine that person with your face.  Imagine that they are you.  And, let's face it, in the right circumstances; we're all capable of the same things.  ("There, but for the grace of God, go I.")

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12

Though we may often fail to think of others, we all know how we long to be loved.

Here's a practical exercise to do the next time you want to know how to "love your neighbor as yourself."  Think about the other person's situation for a moment, what they might be thinking or feeling in the moment that you are interacting with them.  If you were them, what might be going on in your mind and heart to make you act the way you do?  Is there a reason why they are frustrating, hurtful, or needy?  Now, how would you want someone to treat you if you were acting the way they are acting now?  Switch perspectives with them and see yourself from their point of view.  How do you (as them) hope you'll respond?

The way you treat them will not only be how you are treating Christ, but as fellow creations of God, it will be how you are treating yourself.  We are all one, just like the body is a unity made of many parts.  When you hurt one, you hurt the others.  When we neglect or hurt each other, we truly are hurting ourselves.  When we comfort and actively meet each other's needs, we are caring for and actually loving ourselves.

"Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Perhaps Jesus could have said, "As you are loving any other, you are actually loving yourself."

Who can you start loving the way you'd want someone to love you?  Set one realistic and attainable goal to love them (yourself) this week.