Loving Your Neighbor: A Restored Perspective
You may have just read the title and thought,
“Oh boy, another message on loving our neighbor?”
I get it. The phrase alone is overused and thus watered down to another task on our Christian “to-do” list. But why do so many people in the church feel this way? I believe that such feelings arise when we lack a true biblical understanding of what it means to love our neighbor.
My prayer for us today is that we would desire a fresh insight on this vital command and, in turn, allow God’s Word to challenge, correct, encourage, and equip us in this area.
Before we dive into the biblical why of loving our neighbor, it’s important that we understand who God defines this to be. Let us first set aside the immediate picture that comes to mind when we hear the word “neighbor” and grasp the full meaning behind God’s Word. When God tells us to love our neighbor, He means all others…including our enemies! God has called us to be holy and loving, according to His own character, and desires ALL people to know and experience the holy and transformative love that comes through Him.
So how does the Bible define “loving your neighbor” and what does it look like?
It’s non-negotiable.
Loving others is central to Jesus’ concept of the kingdom. “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37–39, NLT). Did you catch that?
Loving our neighbor is equally as important as loving God!
Loving God and loving others is not a cause and effect but happens simultaneously. It’s not like working out for example: “I run this much so I lose this much…” As our love for God increases, our love for others increases at the same time—through the working of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, we oftentimes separate these two things and, in turn, miss out on the fullness of what it means to be the body of Christ. We tend to think that we will grow in our relationship with the Lord and—at some point— have a desire to care for one another, gather together, and/or disciple, but that is not a biblical mindset.
Christ commanded that we love others. This means that it is not an option for His true followers.
It’s a product of thankfulness.
Colossians chapter 3 offers a powerful illustration of what the life of the believer should look in relation to others:
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him…Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:10–16, NLT).
When we truly grasp what Christ did for us on the cross, we overflow with immense gratefulness that spills over into every area of our life. We cannot view others the way we once did. His love for us ignites a love for others that is greater than our own understanding.
We love because He loved us. We forgive because He forgave us. We serve because He served us.
Everything we are in Christ is a response to His goodness and grace. Everything we are is intended to be an outward expression and everything we are called to be is in relation to others.
It’s costly.
“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the LORD will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply” (Isaiah 58:6–9, NLT).
Lee Copeland said it best, “We can’t participate with God in the world by just offering ‘thoughts and prayers.’ We have to get hands-on and face-to-face with suffering. We’re asked to be a tangible presence where this is injustice, hunger, homelessness, and oppression. Restoration is never accomplished simply through cognitive awareness or spiritual focus. It is always embodied in skin and flesh. Restoration is costly. Still not sure? Think about how restoration and redemption came to us…Here’s why engaging with brokenness matters: It will be in those places that we will see and hear God.”
It’s supernatural.
Have you ever stopped and wondered why God commanded us to love others? Isn’t love almost entirely based upon emotion? So, how can He command that we have such strong emotions toward others, especially those who are against us?
This is because loving others the way God intended is entirely outside of our ability and understanding. His love is completely pure and perfect and He is the only one who can supply it. We are commanded to have faith in His love, to be filled with it just as vessels are filled, and then poured out as an offering back to Him. This beautiful offering that is from Him—and for Him—is one that nourishes dry and weary hearts and refreshes thirsty souls.
“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven…If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:44–48, NLT).
On our own, we would choose to only love those who love us or benefit us in some way. This is why God doesn’t call us to force feelings, to appear, or to muster up something ‘good enough’ to give. When he tells us to love our enemies He gives us yet another chance to have faith and rely on Him as our source and strength.
Loving our neighbors, aka all others, is a supernatural calling placed on every true follower of Christ. It is proof of our love for Him and the incredible transformation that takes place as a result of His grace and forgiveness. My prayer for us today is that we would be challenged and refreshed in this area of our lives and that we would seek more of the Holy Spirit.
May His Holy Spirit within us would produce what only He can supply…true love for our neighbors.
I pray that we would repent of any disobedience and ask God to help us love others the way that He has called us to—and that His love in us would produce action.