Love Your Neighbour

James 2:8 – If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. (NIV)

To love one's neighbour as oneself is the second most important thing we can do.

The other day I learned of the illness of one of our neighbours just across the road. Cancer had struck in their home. A woman around my age was the victim. She and her husband are a lovely couple, quiet and honourable.

When I heard of her illness I prepared a dish for their dinner and took it over to them. Since then, I have discovered he is quite a gourmet cook. "Well," I thought, "You can't win them all."

Then, when offering to pray for them, I was told by her husband, "We aren't religious!" I passed that over, and he in turn disclosed to me that they had both had a bad experience in church. He intimated that they weren't of any faith.

I noticed that when he was telling me of this that he didn't face me as he spoke, and never made eye contact. Why? Was he ashamed of something or was he embarrassed? I don't really know.

In being a good neighbour, it is not for me to judge. I wish them all the best and will continue in prayer for them. This is my privilege.

We should hope and pray that by our example we will be known as Christians. I believe we should never push ourselves upon others or treat them any differently. They are our neighbours and we should love them just as we love ourselves.

God has His plan and I don't know what it is, but we should be ready at all times to play the part God wants us to and at all times to do what he asks of us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach us to be good neighbours, for You have chosen us to live together in harmony one with another. Help us to be there when You call us to serve You as Your instrument. May Your love be a blessing to us and to our neighbours. Your will be done. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.