OpEd, Politics

Love your neighbor as you love yourself (Part One)

By USTAZ MARK BANG

 

We are not truly taking this word in the sense that our people see it and do it. If it were to be the time when our people committed themselves to selflessly fighting for you or me, we would never experience this era of mischief-making.

Love is love, whether rich or poor, leader or layman, working or not. Never before had I seen such happenings, whether in churches, workplaces, families, schools, or societies; it’s not at all taken by our people to do as it’s been whispered into ears. Don’t ever say this word when it’s not seen in you. Vanity is when one says to others that you need to love yourselves and, in an actual sense, is not doing it. Even more, if you can.

Once I had a neighbour that didn’t like me turning on my sprinklers because some water got on his car. So I stopped turning on the sprinklers near his car. I just used the water hose to make sure no water drops landed on his car. Then I had another neighbor who decided he needed both parking spaces in our duplex driveway. He was new. I tried to explain to him that there were two spaces for two cars. He mumbled under his breath but did not give a clear response. The next day I came home from work, and there his car sat. Taking up both spaces. I had to park on the street. I never said anything else to him about it. I knew he wanted to fight about it.

A few weeks later, he began leaving space for my car. We never spoke about it or anything else again. Yes. Sometimes you have to love your neighbor more than yourself. Do what pleases God, no matter what.

I loved my other neighbors enough to do something about the mentally unstable neighbor, and it has improved everyone’s lives. I also have a recorded event which I can build on if necessary with future legal actions. Another neighbor I had to turn in to the police for bragging about being a murderer.

Was it nice that I did that? Yes, it was; he is a genuine danger to people and will repeat his behavior if it is true. To love a neighbor does not mean you simply let them do offensive things. When you “take care of business,” you demonstrate your love in action for the others who may be harmed by protecting them. Does ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ mean you should love others as exactly as you love yourself? Even more, if you can.

I think that saying is more or less saying that you should treat your “neighbor” (other people) how you’d want to be treated. Like when you are telling your toddler how to behave with other kids. Be kind to others, as you would like someone else to be kind to you. Your behavior towards others should reflect the behavior of yourself.

It has to be used with wisdom. If my neighbor is a threat, then I treat them as a threat and follow the gospel in accord with that. It does not mean I do not love them, but I love my wife and family even more; my first ministry is to my family.

Some would use that verse you asked of as a type of weapon to get people to accept that which is unacceptable. I had to take a neighbor to court, and it was settled in my favor by the city prosecutor; we did not have to go to trial. The neighbor is a drug user and alcoholic who lives in hatred of everybody and everything. To give you an idea, he has spit on the other neighbor’s cars, knocked over their trash cans, and screamed and cursed at puppies for yipping. He calls people of color “crickets,” insults high school girls who are bagging groceries, and yells at people parked in the handicapped spots.

Since I took him to court and got a judgment against him, the whole neighborhood has been calmer. We used to have the cops over several times a month. Neighbors have thanked me for taking him to court because now they can enjoy the neighborhood. I loved my other neighbors enough to do something about the mentally unstable neighbor, and it has improved everyone’s lives. I also have a recorded event which I can build on if necessary with future legal actions. Another neighbor I had to turn in to the police for bragging about being a murderer. Was it nice that I did that? Yes, it was; he is a genuine danger to people and will repeat his behavior if it is true.

To love a neighbor does not mean you simply let them do offensive things. When you “take care of business,” you demonstrate your love in action for the others who may be harmed by protecting them. Love your neighbor as yourself means to do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. It’s like wanting to hit someone, but you don’t want them to hit you, so you treat them nicely, and they will return the kindness. Loving your neighbor is a reflection response to the love that God has shown toward you, which you embrace.

Luke 10:26–29 says, “And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus gave an illustration of what it means to truly love your neighbor (Luke 10:30–37) as you love yourself at the judgment scene (Matthew 25:31–46). Thus a person’s attitude toward people (Colossians 3:12–15) regardless of how you are treated is found in Romans 12. Love is always toward persons. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Do we really practice this in the world today?

The majority do, but it’s very close. A whole lot are afraid of their neighbor. They even call themselves Christians. Hypocrisy. Cognitive dissonance is a belief in scarcity and living in a box because it’s “safe.” I think you’re supposed to love all creation as yourself. At some point, you realize all those levels of separation and difference you’ve built up in your mind between yourself and the fly in the window are just intellectual constructions. To think that you matter more than anybody else is to go through life without learning anything. Everything around you signed up for the creation joyride out of the same dust you came from. If you can’t love your neighbor, a creature who’s practically a brother to you, you’re a long, long, long way from enlightenment. No, in fact, you are supposed to love others MORE than yourself, considering them above you. To be the greatest in heaven, you must be the servant of all.

“Public Staunchest Ally.”.

The writer of this article is a human rights activist, writer, and professional teacher.

 

 

 

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