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"Thou shalt love thy neighbor." - Matthew 5:43
"Love thy neighbor." Perhaps he rolls in riches, and thou art poor, and living
in thy little cot side-by-side with his lordly mansion; thou seest every day his
estates, his fine linen, and his sumptuous banquets; God has given him these
gifts, covet not his wealth, and think no hard thoughts concerning him. Be
content with thine own lot, if thou canst not better it, but do not look upon
thy neighbor, and wish that he were as thyself. Love him, and then thou wilt not
envy him.
Perhaps, on the other hand, thou art rich, and near thee reside the poor. Do not
scorn to call them neighbor. Own that thou art bound to love them. The world
calls them thy inferiors. In what are they inferior? They are far more thine
equals than thine inferiors, for "God hath made of one blood all people that
dwell upon the face of the earth. " It is thy coat which is better than theirs,
but thou art by no means better than they. They are men, and what art thou more
than that? Take heed that thou love thy neighbor even though he be in rags, or
sunken in the depths of poverty.
But, perhaps, you say, "I cannot love my neighbors, because for all I do they
return ingratitude and contempt." So much the more room for the heroism of love.
Wouldst thou be a feather-bed warrior, instead of bearing the rough fight of
love? He who dares the most, shall win the most; and if rough be thy path of
love, tread it boldly, still loving thy neighbors through thick and thin. Heap
coals of fire on their heads, and if they be hard to please, seek not to please
them, but to please thy Master; and remember if they spurn thy love, thy Master
hath not spurned it, and thy deed is as acceptable to him as if it had been
acceptable to them. Love thy neighbor, for in so doing thou art following the
footsteps of Christ.
See Also:
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