by Suzanna Billingsley

Created on: August 23, 2009   Last Updated: September 01, 2009

To love you neighbor as yourself, means that love is not given by the words we say, but rather by our deeds and actions towards others. It also means to do unto others as you would want others to do unto you. To help another person, because in your time of need you would want someone to help you. To feed the hungry, because if you were hungry you would want someone to offer you food. To love and be kind and treat others with respect, because you want to be loved in the same manner in return. Even if you find yourself doing all these things for the most hateful and wicked people, remember Jesus tells us that if you render anything unto the least of these, then you've done it unto him.

But the catch 22 of this scripture is that one cannot fulfill it if one does not love themselves. Because one cannot give love if they do not possess self love. As with it being impossible to help another person if one will not help themselves. One cannot respect another, if they do not respect themselves. As with one cannot treat another kind if they abuse themselves.

To know you have fulfilled this scripture is that if someone gossips lies about you, in return say something nice about them. If someone cheats you, be honest with them. If some is cruel to you, be kind to them. Don't get even with people because some people just make it impossible for others to love them. But God does expect us to love them, not hang out with them if they refuse to stop doing evil things, but just to love them. And love is like forgiveness, it should never be based on one's emotions, because it will never come to be fulfilled in the manner God tells us, but it should be based on a decision one makes. To love others no matter what they do, as with forgiveness.

In Matthew 12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother". The very reason we are to love others regardless of how terrible they can be is because God is love. Because if he wasn't there would be nothing left of the human race but burnt black spot on the ground from the bolts of lightening strikes for our deeds if God wasn't love. Which proves God is love, and in return we are to show love towards others. And remember to love others as God does, because for the wicked he will love them even when they are sitting in hell after judgement day.

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