How To Love Your Neighbor
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How To Love Your Neighbor
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Psalm 146
James 2:1-17
Mark 7:24-37
A lot has happened in the last 2000 years in regards to culture and how people relate to one another. In some cases, at least in the United States, it seems that we can be very neighborly with the people of other countries and we tend to accept and welcome in anyone regardless of race or ethnicity. As a result, we have seen a rapid increase of people immigrating to the United States, some seeking safety, some seeking opportunity, and unfortunately some seeking to do harm. Then on the other hand it seems that those in the newer generations seem less likely to know their neighbors or the people who live around them. I am just as guilty at times for not knowing my neighbors. By not knowing them how is it that I can show love to them?
James 2 is a chapter that speaks about favoritism. Actually, our sections in Proverbs 22 also speaks about favoritism as well. James describes showing special treatment for people who look wealthy and clean. One may invite them in and give them a special seat of honor, yet maybe a poor and raggedy person may come in and we tell them to stand in the corner or to sit on the floor at our feet like a dog or other household pet. The first person is easy to love and to show love to because they look like someone who belongs. The second person is more difficult because they seem less desirable. All of this though is based upon appearances instead of what is actually on the inside. The desirable looking person could be someone who may have an undesirable heart. While the undesirable looking person may have a kinder and more desirable heart. Yet sometimes we may choose our friends and acquaintances based on appearance. I believe though that we must first know our neighbor before we make judgments over them.
It is interesting in Mark 7 that it almost seems like Jesus is showing favoritism for the Jews. Mark says that Jesus was traveling near the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. This is not a Jewish area as it is an area occupied by Gentiles. This was a place known for worshiping pagan Gods. And yet we see Jesus traveling through the neighborhood. Jesus seems to be trying to keep a low profile here as he is trying to enter a house without anyone knowing about it. Unfortunately, he is unable to keep his presence and secret. A woman from Syria and Phoenicia hears about him and hears about the miracles that he has been performing. She seeks him out because her daughter has been possessed by a demon for some time and she wants her to be healed and made clean. This woman just happens to be from the home of Jezebel the evil queen during Elijah’s time. This is an area known for heavy pagan worship. Hence probably this is part of the reason why her daughter is possessed. Never the less she seeks out Jesus as she believes in what he is capable of.
At first when this woman seeks his help Jesus turns away from her and compares here and her daughter to that of household dogs. He explains that it is not right for him to give her attention before his people Israel. However, you gotta wonder though about what we should expect since he is purposely traveling in a gentile inhabited area. Of course, a non-Jewish person may seek his help as well. On the surface this response is troubling to us as it appears that Jesus really is showing partiality and favoritism. But some commentators believe that Jesus was actually testing the woman’s faith. After all she was not a Jew and probably not mono-theistic either. However, this woman accepts Jesus’s classification of her as that of a dog and explains that even the dogs accept the leftovers. She acknowledges that she is unworthy for Jesus to come into her home much like the story of the faithful Centurion. However, she is hoping for just some of the leftovers to fall to her daughter. Because of her faith Jesus tells her that her daughter has been healed.
Later Jesus again trying to be alone had a man brought to him who is deaf and mute with a speech impediment. Jesus takes the man aside in secret and heals him. He tells the man not to tell anyone what he has done. Jesus is still trying to be there in secret as his time has not fully come as he told his mother at the wedding party. However, he just gave a man who could not hear ears to hear and who could not talk the ability to talk. So of course, this man was not going to be silent. This was the beginnings of Jesus showing openness to the Gentiles showing that his love was not just for the Jews but for the world.
It seems that it is part of our human nature to congregate with people of whom we relate to. For example, it is easy for us to be around other Christians and believers because we are of like mind. But what about our non-Christian neighbors. What about those who even hate Christians. Do we really know and understand them? There are those in the world who would persecute other Christians even unto the point of death. Do we treat these people like our neighbors? Since the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan many people have been trying to escape the country in fear of their safety. Yet there have been some who have chosen to stay. Some brave Christians have chosen to stay because they view these people as their neighbors and they hope to bring the hope of Christ to their neighbors. This is truly showing love towards your neighbor by praying for those who would treat you as an enemy. Even those who may hate you are still your neighbor and we should not show favoritism against even them even though they hate us. Loving those who hate you and praying for them is one of the hardest things to do but it is what Christ commands us to do.
We live in a divided country today between political party lines and it seems that the political leaders are trying to keep it that way. However, even though someone may have a different political view from you they are also still your neighbor and we should not show favoritism over one or the other based on political beliefs. We should find our unity in Christ for Christ died for all regardless of their political affiliation.
So how do you love your neighbor? Pray for them, seek to understand them, express love towards them regardless if they express love towards you or not. There is a movie called the Secrets of Jonathan Sperry. Jonathan Sperry is a Christian man and in the final days of his life he mentors some young preteens towards the Christian faith. At one point he asks one of the boys to mow his neighbor’s lawn as his neighbor is unable to do it himself. He pays the boy to do so as well. We find out at the end that this neighbor had an alcohol problem in the past and one night hit and killed Jonathan Sperry’s wife in a drunk driving accident. Instead, expressing hatred towards his neighbor he took pity on him and showed love towards him by both praying for him and paying to have his lawn mowed. Through this love in the end, it cuts through his neighbor’s heart and this man is healed from his own bitterness and pain because the man whose wife he killed showed love towards him. This is how you love your neighbor. Do not show favoritism and show kindness even though you may not receive it in return. This is what Christ has called us to do. I believe that if we truly loved our neighbors then we would eventually cut through the evil in this world and love will instead triumph. Will you love your neighbor today?