Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
I would really like to know what others' experience is regarding this passage. While not Christian, I believe "love thy neighbour as thyself" is the wisdom of insight. The problem as I see it is that there is no instruction on how to love thy neighbor; to be told to do so is useless without instruction. What am I missing? How do you folks that hold the Bible as Truth interpret this passage? How do you in your everyday life love your neighbor?
Originally posted by eagles54Perhaps you should be looking at the Kama Sutra instead of the Bible.
Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
I would really like to know what others' experience is regarding this passag ...[text shortened]... this passage? How do you in your everyday life love your neighbor?
Originally posted by eagles54Oiy vey! I am stunned at how difficult chess players can make things. OK, yesterday my neighbor, who has a tiller, came over to till my garden. He's going on vacation and I will cut his grass while he is away. It was not very hard for us to do this for one another. What I have problems with is Jesus "kicking it up a notch" in telling us to love our enemies.
Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
I would really like to know what others' experience is regarding this passage. While not Christian, I believe "love thy neighbour as thyself" is the wisdom of insight. The problem as I see it is ...[text shortened]... the Bible as Truth interpret this passage? How do you in your everyday life love your neighbor?
Originally posted by kirksey957Isn't the term 'neighbor' also intended to include people who are not actually living in your immediate vicinity? That would make it less likely that you'd see a direct benefit from treating them as you would yourself. Or, what if your neighbor is (pick anyone from rhp that makes your jaw tight) a pain in the backside? I'll venture that you may not find it easy to find love for them. How would you go about finding that love? What does the word 'love' in this case really mean?
OK, yesterday my neighbor, who has a tiller, came over to till my garden. He's going on vacation and I will cut his grass while he is away. It was not very hard for us to do this for one another. What I have problems with is Jesus "kicking it up a notch" in telling us to love our enemies.
Originally posted by eagles54Leviticus 19:10-35
Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
I would really like to know what others' experience is regarding this passage. While not Christian, I believe "love thy neighbour as thyself" is the wisdom of insight. The problem as I see it is ...[text shortened]... the Bible as Truth interpret this passage? How do you in your everyday life love your neighbor?
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"Do not..." Some people think the Bible is nothing but a book of don'ts. But Jesus neatly summarized all these rules when he said to love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. He called these the greatest commandments (or rules) of all (Matthew 22:34-40). By carrying out Jesus' simple commands, we find ourselves following all of God's other laws as well.
Originally posted by RBHILLRB, how do you go about loving your neighbor when they are not worthy of love? What are the practical steps to take so that Jesus' command is actually adhered to, and not left as another example of lip service?
But Jesus neatly summarized all these rules when he said to love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. He called these the greatest commandments (or rules) of all (Matthew 22:34-40). By carrying out Jesus' simple commands, we find ourselves following all of God's other laws as well.
Originally posted by eagles54You can befriend people by inviting them to Church maybe, and there they might see that there is more to life then just drugs and drinking, if that is what your friends do.
RB, how do you go about loving your neighbor when they are not worthy of love? What are the practical steps to take so that Jesus' command is actually adhered to, and not left as another example of lip service?
Originally posted by eagles54God loves us all, so clearly we're all worthy of love. If you attempt to love people as you love yourself, and make it a conscious effort again and again, it eventually becomes a subconscious habit.
RB, how do you go about loving your neighbor when they are not worthy of love? What are the practical steps to take so that Jesus' command is actually adhered to, and not left as another example of lip service?
Originally posted by DarfiusWhat I meant by "not worthy of love" was from our own standpoint, for example, someone who is an exceedingly difficult person.
God loves us all, so clearly we're all worthy of love. If you attempt to love people as you love yourself, and make it a conscious effort again and again, it eventually becomes a subconscious habit.
Your point is well taken. Thank you.
Aside from the golden rule of do unto others....
Our duty to our neighbors is to show respect for the life we have been given, to work and pray for peace, to bear no malice, hate or prejudice in our hearts, to be kind to all creatures.
To be honest and fair in all our dealings, to seek justice, freedom, and the necessities of life for all people. To speak truth and not use our silence to mislead others. To resist temptations to envy, greed and jealousy, to rejoice in the gifts of other people.
This is BTW, a much bigger talk than my walk....
You know that person behind the counter,...the one with the bad attitude....loving your neighbor means being kind anyway....
So far we've had some very good examples of what to do to treat one's neighbor well.
How to accomplish these is more the focal point of my question.
So, how to 'love' thy neighbor when it seems a very trying task? I'd like some practical examples of the steps taken when a deficiency is noticed between one's intent and one's actions.
We know with which 'material' the road to hell is paved...
Originally posted by eagles54That is the problem....
So far we've had some very good examples of what to do to treat one's neighbor well.
How to accomplish these is more the focal point of my question.
So, how to 'love' thy neighbor when it seems a very trying task? I'd like some practical examples of the steps taken when a deficiency is noticed between one's intent and one's actions.
We know with which 'material' the road to hell is paved...
Thinking of others more and yourself less.
Realizing that everyone has a story, that everyone has suffered to some degree and that you never know what is going on in other people's houses or has gone on in their past.
Practice, practice, practice and them practice some more.
Forgiving yourself for failure, and then trying some more.
Rember that most of us (I believe) are trying, and forgiving them for their failures.
Most important of all do not carry grudges or resentments...I find that if I have a grudge going it seems to nourish itself and grow and then become a justification for bad conduct....i.e. so-and-so was rude/mean/hurt my feelings so I don't have to be nice and I can snap right back if I want to, engage in gossip about them, "forget" to give them a message for a couple of hours......
Did I mention that my talk is much bigger than my walk?