by John F. Kendall

Created on: August 21, 2009   Last Updated: September 01, 2009

Loving Your Neighbor as You Love Yourself.

Psychologists tell us that when a child is born he or she doesn't realize that there is any difference between themselves and the external world. To a baby, I am the universe and the universe is I. There is no separation or distinction. Everything exists for my sake and my sake alone, thinks the child.

Every human being begins in this state of extreme subjectivity. It takes time, training, and a lot of painful experience to finally understand that the world does not revolve around us. Teachers are commonly taught in their training that people are not evil or good but they are, essentially selfish. The easiest thing for most people to do is to look out for number one bearing the number one sticker firmly on their own hearts of course.

It is for this reason that many Christians feel that they are adjured to love others like themselves. If it is easy to see what we think of as favorable to ourselves, it is easy, by extension, to imagine that it would be favorable to other people our neighbors for example. Unfortunately, it turns out not to be quite that simple.

William Blake, the mystic and romantic poet once wrote, one law for lion and ox is oppression. Likely he originated this concept from St. Paul's description of the body of Christ [the Church] as being comprised of various different members. In short, this means that people vary widely. What is favorable or loving to one of us isn't necessarily favorable or loving to us all. Each of us has an individual contribution to make and a one size fits all method usually fails.

It is obvious then that Jesus had two distinct propositions in mind when he stated these words. The first is that we should view others as being of equal worth and importance as ourselves. The second that follows from this is that we should endeavor to do what is for the best in dealing with others. Both of these statements pose problems.

Believing that our neighbor is every bit as valuable and worthwhile is easy to say but difficult to hold to in practical everyday life. Sooner or later, we will meet up with a situation wherein to hold true to the theory will mean some sort of self-sacrifice. If a person is really worthwhile and important, we must be willing act as if his or her ideas have equal validity. They must be listened to and considered in decisions. If the choice is between our having two sandwiches or our neighbor and ourselves having one each, the compromise must be

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