Even That Guy

For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another. (1 John 3:11)

Any parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, teachers, or guardians of a 4-year-old out there? Boy, those kids ask a lot of questions. I have an amazing little girl that, I guess when she was 3, learned how to ask questions. She's a pretty persistent bugger too. Recently, she's been asking me about neighbors. I'm not sure why or what prompted this question (maybe Daniel Tiger) but she seems very curious about who her neighbors are.

We were outside our home and I remember her pointing across the street and asking, "Are they our neighbors?" I said, "Yes sweetheart. Like them over there and them over here, they too are our neighbors." And then the Holy Spirit reminded me that I am to train a child up in the way they should go (ref - Proverbs 22:6). So, I continued my response to her and said, "Honey, you see them down the street, they are also our neighbors too. People that live on our street are our neighbors. That's what most people say. But Jesus says that (I'm pointing to a different house on a different street now) they are our neighbors too and we should love them."

Her tiny jaw dropped and she looked as if she just met Mickey Mouse. "Wait, they're our neighbors too!?" I went on to explain to her that Jesus teaches that everyone is our neighbor and that as His followers, we must treat everyone like a neighbor to us. She's young still and it might take a few more explanations and a few years for her to really understand the concept (heck, I'm still trying to truly incorporate it as part of my life). However, it started a great conversation that she continues to take interest in. Now, when we drive around our town she points out random houses and asks, "Are they our neighbor?" And my response is always, "Yes, even that guy."

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" (Matthew 22:36)

Jesus was among a group of religious experts and was asked which of God's Ten Commandments are the greatest? This is one of the few times I've seen Jesus answer a Pharisee's question directly and clearly, without mystery or interpretation required.

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 22:37-40)

Jesus tells his audience plainly that more important than anything else, we must love God. And right behind it, He adds that we must love our neighbor. The question asked for the greatest commandment, but Jesus said there are two and they go hand-in-hand. From my years of study in the Bible and walking with Christ, I must say that if you cannot do one well without the other. It is IMPOSSIBLE. There are people today that claim all we need is to love one another and our belief in God is irrelevant. And there are other groups that claim to love God, but don't know how to love their neighbor.

What does the Word of God say about that?

Loving God but not our neighbors:

Jesus tells a parable of a man who was robbed and lay waiting to die on the road. Two religious leaders walked by this man on the road, lacking love and doing nothing to help. You can read the full parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.

In this parable, Jesus is teaching that you can be a scholar or doctor of the Word, possessing all the accolades and knowledge of the Bible, but if you cannot apply them, you are missing the point and therefore, not able to fulfill both of the greatest commandments. One of His disciples writes...

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15-16)

To love God is to understand His will and His love for mankind, that we should even love our enemies.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:43-47)

What are you proving by loving God and not sharing His heart for mankind?

Loving others but disregarding God:

This one is tricky. I know a lot of people that do good things. People willing to give you the coats of their back. People willing to sacrifice for others. People that devote their careers to serving the homeless and the addicted. Why would God not see those good deeds and honor those individuals?

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

The prophet Isaiah writes that are righteous acts (good deeds) are like FILTHY RAGS. I think of some of the ugliest rags I've taken home after a good day fishing and cleaning fish. Yuck. The rags become foul, blood-stained, slimy, and well yeah OK you get it. It's gross. That's how our good deeds like before God. That's the impact sin has on us. God is NOT pleased when we seek to EARN salvation. He provided us a GIFT of salvation through Jesus Christ. If this doesn't make sense to you, please take a moment to learn more about the Gospel here.

Now, what if a person acting out of love towards another isn't trying to earn anything from God? Well, they would still be declaring, through their actions, that being a good person just requires good deeds and kindness. Again, this is just another way of seeking to achieve some form of righteousness. I think of social movements and good causes like justice for the oppressed. Consider this - what good is it to help an un-repented individual achieve earthly justice but completely ignore sharing the Gospel with them? This is where some church organizations fall short - by lobbying for justice (in Jesus' name) but declaring victory prematurely (as in, before a person repents - and then maybe not even seeking to guide that person to repentance).

Loving your neighbor means loving them with the Father's heart - to the point of salvation.

Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor - You cannot have one without the other.

I have a long way to go in training up my children in the way of the LORD. I'm sure it will be challenging at times, but I trust God will guide me and them. The one thing I seek to emphasize to them, myself, and my audience is that Jesus commands us to love everyone with His Father's heart. BUT...we have to know our Father's heart. How can we have God's heart if we don't love Him?

We start by seeking God and we do that by opening the Word and discovering His grace and truth. I'm still discovering it and writing this blog today encourages me to remember who my neighbors are and how I should love them. My daughter: "Even that guy?" Me: "Yes, honey, even that guy."