Am I loving my neighbors—those in my path?

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

INSIGHT:  When we love others like this, it is the greatest evidence that we love God, but I used to fear this command because I misunderstood what it meant.  It didn’t mean that I had to feel affection for them.  It didn’t mean that I had to be their long-term friend, that I had to solve all their problems, that I would be left without if I helped them, or that I even had to like them as a person.  A friend of mine struggled when I told him that I loved his wife in Christ, but I did not like her.  I believe God loves many people that He doesn’t particularly like.  If you like someone, it is because you have things alike, values, interests, desires, personalities, passions, etc.  

I tell Lisa all the time that I not only love her as my wife, but that I really, really, like her!  That is simply because we have so much alike!  God shows no favoritism between the Jews and Gentiles, as groups, regarding His salvation (Acts 10:34-35), but regarding individuals, Jesus turned away from people in John 2:24 because He knew their hearts, and He said each one of us will be rewarded according to what he has done. Was it only a coincidence that Peter, the disciple whom Jesus knew loved him more than the others (Jn 21:15), became the leader of His ecclesia? Regardless of what religious brainwashing taught us, I see in the Bible that God, who is Sovereign, and does whatever pleases Him, indeed has favorites! God is not so “God” that He is feelingless or not attracted or repelled by how we respond to Him.  How God felt about Moses, speaking to him face to face as a friend, saying of David he was a man after His own heart, or describing the apostle John, as the disciple whom Jesus loved, shows me God likes more, those who are more alike to Him.  It was not bad parenting that God loved Jacob and hated Esau. 

I have shown love, by the grace of God, to many whom I have not particularly liked over the years. In my heart, I have a burning desire to see even my worst enemies get right with God, not suffering His eternal wrath. I do not like my enemies, but I love them.  It is not necessary that we like someone, to love them. To love someone means you desire to see them better off than they currently are, in their current situation, and you use what you have received, from God, to help them. 

Since 2011, I have been helping those that have fallen into the hands of spiritual robbers, as God brings them across my path.  Today, many people have been robbed spiritually by Satan (Jn 10:10, 1Tim 6:5, 2Tim 2:26) and we can show them love, even if we have nothing alike with them, by caring for their spiritual condition, encouraging them, and administering God’s grace according to the gifts we have uniquely received (1Peter 4:10).  It takes faith, but God promises to help you, with grace and resources, if you are willing to serve those that He brings across your path.