Love your neighbor?

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

Of course the people then asked, “Who is my neighbor?” And Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan. But I want to ask you literally …who is your neighbor? Who lives across from you? Who lives beside you? Do you know them? Have you talked to them? Have you prayed for them? Have you tried to engage with them more than the the formal greetings, or waves? How seriously do you think Jesus was when He gave this ‘commandment’? 

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

So then what’s the plan? What does the Holy Spirit want you to do for your neighbors? Have you asked Him with a sincere heart? Or are you just hoping He won’t suggest anything to you? My suggestion is to follow HIS plan and not your ‘good intentions’. Often we try to fulfill His commandments with zero advice or instructions from Him. Often times that doesn’t go so well. It will take courage the first time you try to follow His instructions, you’ll be second guessing yourself a lot those first several attempts. Will you always get it right? No. You’ll mess it up just like all the rest of us. But with continued attempts you’ll begin to learn what is from Him and what are just your ‘good’ ideas.

We often think of doing great things for God. Going on a grand trip to another country and bring the “Word of God” to the needy people. Um… how about next door? Are they less worthy of hearing the Gospel? Or hearing how much He has done for you personally? Being truly obedient to Him really begins with baby steps, not grand gestures, or lots of money and travel.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

Is Jesus pointing you to your neighbor? But you say “They are already Christians. They don’t need to hear from me.” Really? Everyone needs prayer, encouragement, and love. Are you His hands? Are you His messenger? Are you His servant? Are you His … to do with as He pleases? Just because your neighbors are Christian, or Hindu, or Muslim, or Mormon, or bikers in a gang, or a different ethnicity, if you ask the Holy Spirit — He will instruct you as to what He wants you to do. What are the fruit of the Holy Spirit again? (Galatians 5:22-23) Do you think He would like these fruit to be given or used with your neighbors?

Being obedient to the Holy Spirit is YOUR life now, if you’re a Terminally Committed To Christ individual. Your whole purpose is to serve Him here in this earth, and serve those He points you to.

Let’s ponder these words from the apostle Paul as he sat under Roman guards, and how they apply to you right now. 

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. Philippians 1:18b-30

Now read that last sentence again. Do you believe that? To suffer like Paul did? Stepping out in obedience to and with the Holy Spirit will set you before people that will become angry with you.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

*selah*