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BIBLE 101: LEVITICUS 19:18
Bible 101
CHANGE THE WORLD
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by Pastor Dave McCarty (davem@lordoflife.org)
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. —Leviticus 19:18 From the beginning of time, people have needed rules to follow. The Old Testament lists over 600 laws through Moses so the Israelites could live civilly with each other. When someone asked Jesus which law was the most important one, he went back to the least-read book in the Bible and said, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) This became known as the Great Commandment.
Lisa and I built a new house last year. This is our seventh Maple Grove address! We were one of the first to move into our neighborhood, so we’ve been able to watch the area build up around us. We’re meeting new families all the time and everyone is sooo nice to each other. People are genuinely interested in hearing about how old the kids (or grandkids) are, where you came from, and what kind of trees you’re planting in the front yard. We are living in a world where we are constantly bombarded with news. Whether it’s print media, social media, radio, or TV—it seems there is always someone telling us what is happening and that most of what’s happening is bad, sad, or downright awful. Maybe we, and the rest of the world, could learn a little from new neighbors in new neighborhoods. What if everyone started out the conversation by asking how old the kids are, where you’re from, and what kind of tree is in your front yard? I think negotiations might go better if our world leaders would start that way, and I think communities and churches would be friendlier if we took the time to get to know each other. Meeting each other as if it were the first time, genuinely caring for each other, and getting to know each other are ways we can love our neighbors. There’s a reason Jesus summed up all the laws with one Great Commandment. Loving one another can change the world, one neighborhood at a time.
reflection question
How can you live out the Great Commandment in your neighborhood?
