Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

"Love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:31

I think this is a practice that has been lost on this generation. Doing good and loving others has been lost. Respect has been lost. And it's disheartening. We have become a selfish generation--focusing on how to advance oneself. It bothers me. It breaks my heart. I don't always love my neighbor the way I'm supposed to, but I make every effort to treat them the best I can in every and all circumstances. 

There is an older woman who lives behind us. For some unknown reason, she doesn't like us. She won't wave to us as she drives by. She hurries to her car, refusing to make eye contact or start a short conversation about the weather when we're outside. She literally runs inside her house as we walk by with the dogs. And I can't help but wonder why. I do wave. I say 'hello'. I pick up trash in her yard. We are a quiet people who don't have any bad habits to speak of. We don't party. We don't yell and scream. We try in live at peace with everyone.

I was having a long conversation with my mother about the lack of respect we have for one another. Children aren't taught manners. They're free to do whatever they want. They don't treat the church as a sacred place of worship, but rather their personal playground. They don't respect authority. They talk back. They loudly complain about having to follow 'rules'. Will they ever understand that rules are put into place to protect them? Not to interrupt their playtime on the church piano or stage? Adults are no better. They cut me in line at the gas station because they just have to pay for their gas and I'm buying a drink, which says I'm not in a huge rush. If they only asked me, I would gladly let them go in front of me. They run into me with their carts in the grocery store and don't bother to say 'sorry'. They let their dogs do their business in our yard and don't pick up after them. They make promises and then break them instantly. They don't think about the affects their choices have on others. Like I said, we don't love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We love ourselves and only ourselves. 

As we were walking late one night, Niko decided it was a great time to 'do his business' on a pastor's lawn who lives a block from our house. This pastor is a sweet man who always says 'hello', always makes conversation and is always friendly. As I went to grab a bag to clean up Niko's mess, I realized we were all out of bags. Not sure what to do, we headed home. But the thought that the poor man would walk outside the next morning to grab his newspaper and wonder why no one cares enough about their neighbor to clean up after their dog made me feel guilty. When we got home, I grabbed a bag and trekked back to his house, using my cell phone flashlight to find where Niko did his business. It was late. I didn't know if he'd come outside and ask me what I was doing. But I did know that I would want someone to do the same for me. I went to bed that night without a single ounce of guilt hanging over my head.

The Bible tells us to love 'your neighbor as yourself'. That doesn't mean to only love the people who live near you. Everyone you meet is your neighbor. Make every effort to treat them with kindness and grace. They may not return the favor, but do it anyway. Your children--other peoples' children--are watching the way you treat people. Show them how to love people in spite of their selfishness. Be a good example. And when all is said and done, God will glorify your efforts.

I wonder what this generation could accomplish if we put this practice back into our daily lives?