Do you love your neighbor?

Before we start this short devotion lets look at the two most important commandments that God gave us. In fact every command that God expects of us can be summed up in these two central commands.  They are found in Matthew 22:35-40

 ³⁵One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
 ³⁶"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
 ³⁷And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
 ³⁸"This is the great and foremost commandment.
 ³⁹"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
 ⁴⁰"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

I like to evaluate myself from time to time and see how my walk is doing. I ask myself several questions.  Am I growing in loving God? Am I growing in loving my family? Am I showing kindness to my co-workers? Am I showing love to my neighbors?

As I think on these things, I have to be careful that I don't set aside growing in love for my neighbors. It  is a big teaching. In fact half of what Jesus teaches in this verse is loving our neighbor. If I'm not growing in this area I'm missing the broad side of the barn. 

How often do you do good to your neighbor ? Do you know them by name?

I am not saying these things to make anyone feel bad. If you are falling short then make a plan right now to show some kindness this week. Have your mind ready to act.  Ask God for wisdom on how to be kind this week. Then act on it.

Before you move on from this devotion to do something else please stop. Stop and don't think about anything else until you make a plan of how you will show kindness towards your neighbors this week.

I hope this stirs someone up to show love.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)

God bless
This link can send today's Bible devotion to a friend fast and easy.
My humor blog