“It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.”
Do you need to move? I mean it may actually be easier than living with your neighbor right? In reality this verse does not let us off the hook that easily. Remember Jesus’s lesson on who is our neighbor? We know the story as “The Good Samaritan”. In this verse despise means to hate. God calls us to love our neighbor. Remember Jesus tells us that in Matthew. Recently God has been challenging me to live out four words. The first two are love Jesus. The second refer directly to this verse, be kind. I ordered a sweatshirt today. I don’t order things online but this particular sweatshirt had a message I couldn’t resist. In large letters across the front it reads, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” Then on the sleeve it says: “Be Kind”. I have almost always discovered that any neighbor I’m tempted to despise and want nothing to do with has an awful back story driving their dark attitude. Today love like Jesus and Be Kind. #BeTheEdge
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Jesus
