Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:30-31

Jesus said the following when asked what is the greatest commandment. The crowd then asked him “Who is our neighbor?" (Jake paraphrase)

Jesus then launched into the story of the Good Samaritan.

How a man was robbed, beaten and left for dead on the side of the road.

How many “good people” passed by and didn’t offer help but a Samaritan (an enemy and hated nearby country) stopped, helped the man and took care of him.

The story is meant to illustrate that loving our neighbor involves even those we think we don’t like.

After the attacks on September 11th – we banded together as a country and loved our neighbors better than we had in a long time.

The difference was noticeable and the country was better.

Right now we are going through an election cycle that leaves many feeling like their “neighbor” is hard to love. That we are so different and polarized that love has no place.

But that’s just not true. Loving our neighbors is needed now, just as much as it was in the wake of the horrific attacks of that horrible day.

Our need to come together is still as important as it was in response to the hatred and evil shown on that day.

I’m going to work on loving my neighbor during this cycle and I’d like it if you joined me.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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