If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. (NIV)
How well do you know your neighbors? Do you know their first names? last names? their children’s names? their pet’s names? Where did they grow up? Do they work? If so, where? What do they do? What are your neighbor’s interests? What difficulties are they facing today? What do they believe about God? When was the last time they were in your home or you were in their home?
Too many times today we know our neighbors by the cars they drive rather than on a first name basis. I have to ask myself: How can I love my neighbors if I do not know anything about them? How about you? How well do you know your neighbors? It is difficult to love someone you don’t know!
God tells us that we are to love others not only through the words we say, but also through our actions. There’s a saying, “Love isn’t love until you give it away.” You may feel love towards someone, but you also need to express your love to that individual.
How do you express your love for someone in words?
How do you express your love through acts of kindness?
When was the last time you extended an act of love to someone? What was it?
How do you express your love through acts of sacrifice? through acts of service? through acts of forgiveness?
When was the last time you unselfishly “served” your neighbor? When will you choose to serve someone again?
How do you express your love to those in need? to those who are unhealthy? to those who are hurting? to those who are unlovely?
In what tangible ways do you express Christ’s love to others?
How are you extending love in tangible ways to the neighbors you know?
