Loving As Loving Ourselves

Matthew 22:39,40

The second great commandment is to “Love our neighbor as ourselves.” Now I don’t know about you but I love me. Not in some narcissistic way, but in a way that is natural. If we can’t love ourselves how can we love somebody else. Jesus understood this and uses our love for self to demonstrate how we are to love others.

I think I got the best illustration of this command and how to keep it from reading C S Lewis. He said that he didn’t always like himself: what he did, what he thought, and what he said. But although there were times when he didn’t like himself he could never remember a time when he didn’t love himself. There was never a time where he hated himself. Lewis was on to what I believe Christ had in mind when he sums up commandments five through ten in this second great command.

We may not always like what a person thinks, says, or does to us or other people. But that should never be an excuse not to love that person. I am sure that we have thought, said, or done things to other people, and to be honest, probably God himself, but he never ceased to love us.

So here are a few of things we need to keep in mind when it comes to loving our neighbor as ourself. First we need to remember that they are made in the image and likeness of God. Second we need to keep in mind the because they are made in Gods image he loves them and loves them unconditionally. Third, we need to try our best to see the person behind those actions and look to bring help and healing, not build upon the hate or hurt.

This doesn’t come easy and it must come through much prayer. But does not our Lord do this for us everyday? Does he not through his love make intercession for us in the things we do that he doesn’t like and grieves him. When we sin we are so quick to make excuse and forgive ourselves. Shouldn’t we be the same towards others. This is the spirit of the commandment. It is a godly love that “Covers the multitude of sins.”

Pastor Robby