Tuesday; November 16

Often, we view the New Testament as a book of the heart, while relegating the Old Testament to a collection of facts and ordinances. While I do believe the New Testament is most directly applicable to Christians, there are teachings in the Old Testament that help us understand godliness and humanity. One of those passages is Leviticus 19:17-18, “You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord”. This is traditionally seen as a foundation upon which Jesus built His teaching about love, but I think there is an interesting aspect to it. You see, rather than merely saying “don’t mistreat each other”, the Lord takes it up a notch and demands that His people “love your neighbor”. In essence, it isn’t enough just not to do bad, we need to practice doing good. The way we treat others shouldn’t just avoid being harsh, we need to be proactive in supporting those around us. This may seem to be a minor difference, but a focus on love elevates our lives to the next level.

Are we just trying not to hurt the people around us? What would happen if we sought to love them instead? Maybe then we can reach a level where we can love others the way we love ourselves.

Think About It!

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