July 2, 2023 8:00 pm
It was just a fun game at youth group, but it held a lesson for us: rather than switching neighbors, learn to love the ones you have. Everyone is seated in a large circle, except for one person who stands in the middle of the circle. The standing person asks someone sitting down, “Do you love your neighbor?” The seated person can answer the question in two ways: yes or no. He gets to decide if he would like to swap his neighbor with someone else.
Don’t we wish we could choose our “neighbors” in real life too? Especially when we have a colleague whom we can’t get along with or a next-door neighbor who loves to mow the lawn at odd hours. More often than not, however, we have to learn to live with our difficult neighbors.
When the Israelites moved into the promised land, God gave them important instructions on how to live as people who belonged to Him. They are told to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), which includes not spreading gossip or rumors, not taking advantage of our neighbors, and confronting people directly if we have something against them (vv. 9–18).
While it’s difficult to love everyone, it’s possible to treat our others in loving ways as Jesus works in and through us. God will supply the wisdom and ability to do so as we seek to live out our identity as His people.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Our American Stories
Lee Habeeb
Living on the Edge
Chip Ingram
Our Daily Bread Ministries
Various Hosts
Our Daily Bread Ministries
Various Hosts
Moody Church Hour
Pastor Phillip Miller
Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Love Your Neighbor, was written by Po Fang-Chia. When someone is sitting down, do you love your neighbor?
The seated person can answer the question in two ways, yes or no. He gets to decide if he would like to swap his neighbor with someone else. Don't we wish we could choose our neighbors in real life, too?
Especially when we have a colleague whom we can't get along with or a next-door neighbor who loves to mow the lawn at odd hours. More often than not, however, we have to learn to live with our difficult neighbors. When the Israelites moved into the Promised Land, God gave them important instructions on how to live as people who belonged to Him. They're told to love your neighbor as yourself, which includes not spreading gossip or rumors, not taking advantage of our neighbors, and confronting people directly if we have something against them. While it's difficult to love everyone, it's possible to treat others in loving ways as Jesus works in and through us. God will supply the wisdom and ability to do so as we seek to live out our identity as His people.
Our scripture reading today is from Leviticus chapter 19 verses 9 through 18. I am the Lord. Do not pervert justice. Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the Lord. Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.
Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Let's pray.
Father, we all have people in our lives that are hard to get along with, but help us to reflect your love at all times, even with the difficult ones. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Toni Collyer and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-07-02 20:13:31 / 2023-07-02 20:14:58 / 1
