And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37 ESV)
What must I do to inherit eternal life? The answer that is wanting to come out is nothing… We can do nothing to inherit eternal life… God freely gives that gift to all, yet we will be held accountable for our actions, so there is something we have to do…
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. See the lawyer then looks for the loop hole. Who is my neighbor? Is it the people who live next to me? How many blocks away count as my neighbors? Is the guy the street behind me my neighbor? How far does this go Jesus?
I wonder how I can love people as myself, because sometimes I really do not like myself. I get into that place that Paul talks about not being able to do the things I want to do and doing the things I know I should not do. And I do not like that or the way I behave. When I play music people will say it was so good, but I remember every mistake, every wrong note and I cringe and know I could have done better, and I do not like myself. Same goes for public speaking, or preaching, or teaching… I am my own worst critic and that makes me wonder how can I love my neighbor as myself? Or is that a cue to us, that is how God loves us????
You see we are His creation but we are also His neighbors, and rather than holding all of our loud partying and late night parties against us, He loves us as He loves Himself…. So we too must love all of creation as God does…
Go and do likewise. Find the people that your people are suppose to hate and not get along with and help them. Because when you were separated from God, God came low to pull you up to Him. Stop looking for loop holes and love everyone as God has loved you.
aSacredRebel 