James 2:8

NIV: If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbour as yourself, you are doing right

The Message: You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: "Love others as you love yourself."

If we are really trying to obey Jesus, to follow His teachings, be His disciples, then we will love others as we love ourselves. Didn't Jesus tell us "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. " (Matthew 7:12, NIV). Then what about Leviticus 19:18:

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord. (NIV)

It is not a case of only loving those who love us, or only living those who show kindness towards us, or favour us. No, we are called to love all men, women and children, and to love them as we love ourselves. That means that we love the girl who picked on us when we were at school, the boy who tried to beat us up, the boss who is continually criticising, the ex wife or husband, no matter what they have done, the friend who goes and repeats to others things you have told them in confidence, the bank manager who is unwilling to lend any more money, people who are rude and objectionable, those who are continually trying to do you down, keep you under their thumb, whoever they are and whatever they have done.

I read a while ago of the parents or a murdered teenager who said they had forgiven their son's killer. It was heartbreaking, as the boy was an innocent bystander, in the wrong place at the wrong time, and here were his parents, literally hours after his death saying they forgave his killer. Could I do that? Could I have done that? I don't know as you never really do know what you would do until something like that happens, and you never want anything like that to happen anyway. But what an example to others they were and are. Living what the bible tells us.

I tell my children that if they don't like something done to them, then they shouldn't do that very same thing to others. They should treat others as they would want to be treated themselves. Just because someone has called them names (for example) is no excuse to call that person names in retaliation. It may give them an excuse to do so, but it does not make it right. The funny thing is, my daughter repeated almost exactly the very same thing to her younger brother last week, telling him not to do something because "it doesn't make it right"!!! Just when you think they never listen to a word they say, they come out and surprise you by repeating verbatim something you have previously said!

It just goes to show that others will watch what you say and do, they will note your behaviour, what you say, how you act and respond. What sort of an example do we as Christians give if we only love those who love us? If we give preferential treatment to some people, and ignore others? Jesus didn't tell us to love only those who dress smartly, have good jobs and a happy family. We were not told to be nice to others if they are nice to us but respond in kind to everyone else. We are told to behave towards others as we would wish people to behave towards us.

I sit here and think of some of the people I have known, and it is a tall order to follow. Yet Jesus did exactly that. Look at how He treated the Pharisees. Yes, he criticised them, but on the cross, He asked for forgiveness on all those who had put him there. He could have called down legions of angels to destroy every one of them, Asked God to punish them for eternity and a day in revenge for what they had done.

If Jesus can forgive others for having him tortured and killed, show them love and compassion even as he was dying, then don't you think we should show love towards others too?