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Matthew 22:39 records Jesus’ words, that we are to ‘love our neighbor as ourself.’
Yikes! What if you suffer from self-rejection? Hate who you are? Where does the strength come from to love one’s neighbor despite what they have done to you?
If you go to church, I’m sure you have been told to love your neighbor as yourself, since Jesus said it in Matthew. Ah, be careful there my friend. Remember, I’ve told you before to take a look at who is speaking, and who the audience is before you assume the words of the Gospel are for you to obey. Why? Because the New Covenant did not come in until Calvary. Most of the Gospel accounts record the time prior to Calvary, where Jesus spoke the Law to the legalists and grace to the humble.
In this case we find the Pharisees have banded together and sent one of their own, a lawyer, to question Jesus in an effort to trap Him. If we read it and think it is for us, we may believe we have to come up with the inner strength to love others. If we are even partially successful, it will likely feed our pride but more likely it will minister condemnation (that’s what the Law does) as we realize we cannot love that sinner.
And if you’ve been badly hurt by someone, being told you have to love the one who hurt you is well, next to impossible. You may try to forgive them, but find it is just too hard.
Thanks be to JESUS who ushered in a better way. The New Covenant way. At first it may sound even more impossible. John 13:34 reads, “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Jesus repeats this in John 15:12, saying, ““This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”
Yikes! Jesus loved us to the uttermost, the guttermost as preachers may say. He surrendered His innocent life to rescue us.
So what can we do? How about admitting we cannot love according to the new commandment. Then ask Jesus to help us to love others as He did. And ask Him to heal the hurts of our own heart. And that we may know the Father’s love for us.
As we receive the Father’s love, we will be healed, made whole, and empowered to love others, even those who have wronged us.
Yes, receive His love, then share it with others so they may — COME ALIVE!
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