In His Name Devotionals
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
In His Name Devotionals
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
“...You shall not murder...You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:9 NKJV)
Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:1-15) because of jealousy. He was jealous because God looked with favor upon Abel’s offering. He coveted the esteem that God showed Abel. It seems that jealousy and covetousness have caused so much hatred among people throughout all history.
The great commandment of God is a counter measure against hatred. “Thou shalt love...and thy neighbor as thyself.” We are told that, “now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” One big difference between Christians and non-Christians is that a Christian loves even his enemies. This means that a Christian shows a concern for the good welfare of an enemy.
Only the love of Christ can instill such a spirit in a person. Christ pours His love upon those who love Him. As we help a plant to grow by cultivation, so we help our faith grow by cultivation. The ingredients we use to cultivate our faith are love for Christ, love for the church of our Lord, love for one another, and love for the Holy Word of God. A natural by-product of such cultivation is a love for our neighbor.
Pray that God will strengthen you, so your faith and love in Him will grow, and so you can love your fellowmen.
