Alas, if you get slapped with a restraining order, you probably aren’t loving your neighbors the right way! What does it look like to help those around us when society has become very suspicious of anyone offering help?
In American society, it’s hard enough to define what love is, let alone treat each other with love. We confuse obsession and strong feelings with love.
The kind of love we need to show our neighbor involves mutual respect, patience, and empathy. It’s unconditional, or agapé love. It is something we all search for, but find difficult to give.
It’s the kind of love that doesn’t involve legal documents. Rather, it is acts of charity, patience, and goodwill.
Churches Loving Their Neighbors
When I first wrote this post on September 19, 2015, my church in Arizona held a Live Love Day. It was an opportunity to show love to the community of Scottsdale, Arizona with no strings attached.
The next year, when my wife and I returned to Ohio, our church held a Love Does Day. It was good to see how two different churches approached this subject. Each had the same goal, but approached it differently, depending on the needs of their communities.
The second church had to adjust even more during COVID. Suddenly, meeting people where they were was much more difficult. They had to learn how to help others virtually. Instead of using large groups, smaller groups and individuals found ways to show love to the community without unintentionally exposing others to the virus.
Both churches learned that to be good neighbors, they had to learn who their neighbors were and adjust accordingly. That’s what loving your neighbors effectively looks like.
I drew this cartoon for Kidzmatter Magazine.
Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog on October 6, 2015. I revamped and updated it for timeliness and comprehensiveness.
