Do I love my neighbour?

A thought over the past 2 days on a topic that came up on 3 occasions, from 2 different friends, and 1 from a blog I read. Interrupting the flow of #ItsNotAboutUs, but I think at the end of it, it will fit into the flow…  

‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’
(Matt 22:39)

What is your view on this scripture? I think we are doing a grrrrrreat job in loving our neighbour, only because we set it against a low standard of self-love. I believe we do not love ourselves as we should, and we ought to… we’ve been bought at a very expensive price, we are a chosen nation, a royal priesthood, called by our name before we were in our mother’s womb.

I believe God is looking down at us, and saying… “My Child, you are precious, you are my child, start looking at yourself as I look at Jesus… PERFECT… love yourself, because I love you as you are.”

In John 13:34 Jesus gave us a new commandment, “Love each other just as much as I have loved you.” If we should measure our love for our neighbors on this standard, i think we are failing dismally.

I am not saying you should love yourself as mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:1-2, as boastful, proud, arrogant and abusive. But a love expressed and approved through Jesus, the love described in 1 Corinthians 13, an honest love that is patient, consistently kind, gentle, joyful and without jealousy and pride.

Raise the bar, you are worth it.