Article October 14, 1985 Issue

Do I really love my neighbor as myself?

PAUL AGNEW RANDALL

In today's strife-filled world, followers of Christ Jesus may well ask themselves, thoughtfully, "Do I really love my neighbor as myself? Is my love Christly, radiant with kindness and respect, honoring my neighbor as a child of God?"

When asked which was the great commandment of the law, Jesus replied: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."^{Matt. 22:37–40.}

"And who is my neighbor?" one might ask. When this question was put to the Galilean Prophet, Jesus related a parable about a traveler who was left injured at the roadside. Passers-by avoided the injured one without rendering aid. Then a good Samaritan kindly ministered to the man, binding his wounds and generously providing care and housing for him at an inn.^{See Luke 10:29–37 .} Jesus' parable implies that the Samaritan clearly saw the wounded stranger as his neighbor, and that all who are truly loving should likewise provide Christly care for those in need, whether they are personally known to us or not.

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