15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor Better
“And the second is equally as important.”
Equally important to loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength is…
Loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Matthew 22:39
This one’s hard isn’t it? Loving imperfect people?
People can’t see our hearts. They can’t tell how much we love God . . . except by our words and actions. By the way we love imperfect people.
But they’re difficult. Sometimes they’re really difficult.
And we live at a time when it’s easy to hide behind keyboards and screens. We can avoid interaction keeping ourselves entertained and busy but separate.
But when we get up and love – things happen. And maybe it’s time for us to get up and get out there and love big . . . love like Jesus.
Last weekend we were the recipients of neighbor love.
The snow started falling shortly after we got out of bed. It was one of the Alberta Clipper storms that dumped a couple of inches of snow very quickly and then it was gone.
Rev doesn’t shovel snow since his heart surgery and a fall that left him with a broken arm that healed only after the addition of plates and screws. Last year, he decided I wouldn’t be shoveling snow anymore either.
So…
When I looked out my office window and noticed our neighbor plowing our driveway and sidewalk Rev and I were both very thankful. A gift. No expectation of payment. He said it was just something he wanted to do.
Neighbor love does. It’s simply taking care of each other. Offering kindness, compassion, help, and much more.
15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor
Get to Know Them
“The shortest distance between two people is a story.” ~Patti Digh
Forgive Them
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
Listen to Them
“There’s a lot of difference between listening and hearing.” ~G.K. Chesterton
Respect Them
“How would your life be different if…You stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day…You look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.” ~Steve Maraboli
Be Kind to Them
“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” ~Henry James
Have Compassion on Them
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~Leo Buscaglia
Be Patient with Them
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2
Help Them
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” ~John Bunyan
Serve with Them
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13
Thank Them
“Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation.” ~John Ortberg
Encourage Them
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Celebrate with Them
Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity. ~Henri Nouwen
Grieve with Them
“Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow” ~Swedish Proverb
Show Them Jesus
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35
Pray for Them
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16
This is Random Acts of Kindness Week.
Reach out. Do something for someone without expectation or ulterior motive.
Just imagine the difference we could make if we really loved our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Your words today couldn’t have come at a better time, Deb. I needed to be reminded, once again (I am so stubborn and God is so patient), that loving my neighbor is just as important as loving Him.
Blessings for a wonderful weekend!
Such a great reminder! We’ve moved so much in the last year due to my husband’s military trainings that I haven’t been following through in this area very well!
I have a friend who is awesome at this, she always takes the time to get to know her neighbors and minister to them. I think it’s time I took a page from her book and followed your suggestions here to improve in this area! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Deb!
Thanks for hosting this fabulous linkup! Have a wonderful and joy filled weekend!
Blessings,
Tiffiney
Deb, thanks for hosting this linkup. And I love these ways to love our neighbor! What a great story about your neighbor plowing your driveway. Beautiful.
What a practical and encouraging word, Deb!
This is such a useful piece!
I love how you always give tangible, applicable words of wisdom to your readers!
You are a blessing~
Melanie
Thank you for the feature! Made my morning!
Neighbor love DOES!
I love this, and I’m so thankful for my boys who are growing up so fast and take on responsibilities here at home — like moving all that pesky snow!
Well said, Deb! This can be one of the hardest commandments but it is so important that we love, and that people see that love and want to know what it is and where it comes from. Thanks for hosting and hope you have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Such practical and encouraging words! Thank you, Deb, for the reminders!
loved this post Deb! It’s so easy to judge others and being selfish is part of our nature! We always have to remember that God loves the others in our lives as much as He loves us, that’s my trick. But your post was very encouraging! Keep up the good work!
I have been overwhelmed by the word ‘compassion’ lately, Deb. It is a word you have listed here, in the ways to love our neighbors well… and you know I think it is perhaps one of the most important. It is compassion that moved Christ to heal, to restore, to redeem all that was broken and lost and cast aside. Compassion moves us to act in a way that is extraordinary and perhaps a little abnormal. At least, it was a huge part of His ministry. And it lines up with the LOVING God with all our heart, soul and mind.
Thank you for hosting another link up.
Blessings,
Dawn
This is a great list, Deb! The 2 that particularly resonate with me right now is compassion and sharing in grief. My neighbour recently lost her husband, who was a very godly man. We will be sharing in that grief on Friday. Thanks for linking up on Grace and Truth.
Just being there and crying with her is a gift. I’m praying that God will comfort her and bless this time as she is lifted by friends and family. I’m adding my prayers. Blessings!