Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves
By Lynette Kittle
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” - Matthew 22:39
How far are you willing to go to love your neighbor as yourself? Especially when it comes to addressing an issue with a fellow believer. Such as, are you willing to say something to your social media friend if they start posting unkind comments, photos, and videos? Or do you believe ignoring or not reacting to their post is taking a stand and letting them know your thoughts on it?
As simple and easy as that is to do, it’s pretty risk-free and leaves much room for miscommunication and misunderstanding. Or are you willing to be a true friend and go the extra mile? Are you willing to risk saying something privately to your friend because you love them and care about them and their Christian walk and witness, genuinely concerned about how they are coming across on social media?
I'm not suggesting calling a friend out directly on the post and embarrassing them in front of their peers, as doing so can make the person speaking out look unkind, too. But realize that not saying anything is exactly what it sounds like, saying nothing. Truly loving others involves stepping out when it feels uncomfortable. It’s caring more about them than how they might react to our reaching out to them in love.
Truth and Consequences
Recently I reached out to a couple of Christian friends on social media concerning some of their posts. In doing so, one ignored my message completely, keeping her questionable social media photo posted. Although she read it and didn’t unfriend me, she also didn’t respond to my message either. Another believing friend also didn’t reply to my message but did remove his post. Still, reaching out to love our neighbors comes with risks and consequences, ones we have to be willing to receive and accept. These include being ignored, rejected, and scorned.
So is it even worth the effort? In my opinion, absolutely, and as Romans 12:10 urges us, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Honoring others includes caring enough about their Christian walk and witnessing to not look the other way when we see them stumbling, influenced, or led astray by worldly thinking and methods.
How Open Are We to Godly Correction?
As Christians, isn’t it good to be open to correction? Doesn’t doing so express our love, care, and concern for each other? 1 Timothy 3:16 explains how “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
So when we see what seems like a fellow believer wandering off from what the Bible teaches, is it okay to lovingly approach them in the hopes of helping them to evaluate their actions and attitudes? Honestly, if we’re truly seeking to live out the truths revealed in God’s Word, don’t we want someone to reach out and help us get back on track? If not, then maybe we want to examine our own hearts to see if pride keeps us from being open to godly correction.
Unwilling to receive correction, or even consider it, reveals a more serious issue than any social media post. Proverbs 11:2 uncovers the danger of resistance to having our actions and attitudes critiqued, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
As well, Proverbs 16:18 reminds us how serious and dangerous pride is in our lives gone unchecked, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Although not every comment that comes from others may be biblical or valid, it’s wise for us to at least consider it by checking our own heart, what God says about the situation in His Word, and by asking Him to reveal the truth of the matter to us.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
How much do you love your neighbor? Is it enough to reach out in love when you see a fellow believer stumbling? Likewise, how receptive are you to someone reaching out to you? Are you willing to receive godly correction in your life when addressed by a brother or sister in Christ?
Further Reading:
10 Ways to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
Photo credit: Unsplash.com/Mathyas Kurmann
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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