Love Thy Neighbor

God requires forgiveness and love, but it’s easier said than done sometimes, huh? But it’s doable. You don’t have to face your neighbor every minute of every day, all year. You can just pray for God to help you forgive them, and then move on.

All right… but what about the second part of the verse? The part commanding you to love your neighbor “as thyself”? What does that mean?

You may be scoffing right now, saying, “That’s easy, BJ, of course it means to love my neighbor like I love myself! You’re overthinking this.”

Okay, that’s all well and good… but humor me for a moment here. Think about it—do you really love yourself? Are you still mad at yourself for that lousy grade in math, or for not getting all the housecleaning done? Do you think you should have done better? Do you think you’re a failure if you made a mistake?

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Yeah, I’ve been there. The day I wrote this post, I was internally cursing myself for making a barely-passing score on a math test. It wasn’t my fault that I had had dyscalculia, which impaired my ability to do the math problems for my grade level. But when I got my grade back, I hated myself right then, I kid you not.

While I melted down over the math test, my mom asked me a question. What if I knew a little girl who had a mental issue which meant that no matter how hard she tried—even when she gave it everything she had—she just couldn’t memorize her math facts? I wouldn’t scold her and tell her she needed to try harder, would I? Of course not!

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So why are you beating yourself up? You’ve done your best, and you can’t get any farther. Why are you cursing yourself for not doing better? Yes, God expects us to use the talents He’s given us. But sometimes, even when we give a task our all, we still feel as though we just aren’t enough.

After all, God is concerned enough about our neighbors that He commands us to love them as we love ourselves. With that in mind, doesn’t that mean He expects us to actually love ourselves, too? He tells us to forgive, and that also means to forgive ourselves.

Yeah, it can feel good to condemn yourself. “Oh, I can’t judge others because I don’t know their situation, but I know myself! I can judge myself righteously!”

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No. No, I disagree. We can’t. In today’s society, kids, teens, and adults alike are pelted with images of flawless models, accomplished athletes, and star students. We’re told, “This is what you have to be like! If you aren’t perfect, then you’re a failure!” Of course, no one says that straight out, but the message is clear. And so we measure ourselves against an unrealistic standard—a Photoshopped, airbrushed ideal that doesn’t actually exist.

Because we’re bombarded by fake images of “perfection,” imperfect people (read: everyone) can find it easy to become discouraged. As they constantly strive for an unattainable standard, it’s no wonder that teens and adults become self-hating, depressed, and even suicidal. It’s impossible to be magazine-perfect, especially 24/7!

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And yet… God tells us to love ourselves. Just how He created us. Isn’t that amazing? He says, “Dear child, I don’t want you striving for what the world calls perfection. Their standard is meaningless, but you are enough for Me. I’ve got you in the palm of My hand. Love yourself as I love you.”

Maybe you hate your hair or your waistline or the fact that you can’t throw a Frisbee. But today, I want you to consider. How much do you love yourself? Are you still remaining unforgiving towards yourself for “being a failure”?

I have a simple request today. Pray to God to help you forgive yourself, and then thank Him for promising to give you that help.

It may not seem like anything has changed at first, but take it from somebody who has been there. God will help you.

Peace be with you today,

BJ

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"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

~ Galatians 5:14