Article December 8, 1956 Issue

LOVING ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS ONESELF

JEANETTE F. SUTTON

When Christ Jesus was asked to name the "great commandment in the law," he answered (Matt. 22:37), "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Then he added, "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." At another time the Master responded to the query, "Who is my neighbour?" by relating the parable of the good Samaritan, who lovingly cared for the needs of a man who had been beaten by robbers and then had been left in a pitiable condition at the side of the road.

Each of us is constantly afforded the opportunity to express love for his neighbor through right thinking concerning him. In her book "Miscellaneous Writings" Mary Baker Eddy says (pp. 61, 62): "Mortals seem very material; man in the likeness of Spirit is spiritual. Holding the right idea of man in my mind, I can improve my own, and other people's individuality, health, and morals; whereas, the opposite image of man, a sinner, kept constantly in mind, can no more improve health or morals, than holding in thought the form of a boa-constrictor can aid an artist in painting a landscape." And she adds, "Man is seen only in the true likeness of his Maker."

Holding in thought the right, spiritual concept of man as God's complete and perfect idea, we are led to say the comforting word and perform the kindly deed in the right way at the right time. In a broad sense, we can class as our neighbor anyone about whom we think.

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