When Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies predicting His arrival, He left us with advice on saving our own souls. “Love God and love your neighbor.” was His way of summing up all the moral teachings of The Ten Commandments.
Most of us deplore the deaths inflicted on our unborn neighbors. But, those inflicting the deaths are neighbors, as well. Jesus did not say, “Love only your good neighbors.” He said “neighbors.”
We who strive to obey seem to be required to love both the victim-neighbors and the destroyer-neighbors. What else can we do when faced with His instrucition: “Love your neighbor as youself.” We may disagree. We may try to instruct. But, we must love.
Some people use their political power to steal from their neighbors. It’s easy to love their victims, but what of those who do the stealing and lying? What about those who increase taxes while things get worse? What about all the tyrants of every degree? We have to love them, as well.
Matthew 16: 47 and what follows makes it very clear: “Jesus said to the disciples: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”
God is their Judge. God is our Judge. He will sort it all out at the end. While we are here, our duty is clear. It’s important for us to be: Loving all our neighbors.
We do not want to be thrown into the fiery furnace because we thought we were too good to love all our neighbors.
Loving all our neighbors. That may do more than help us get into Heaven. It may lead others to love more of their neighbors.
