Love Your Neighbor

"As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

"Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 19:19

Several times throughout the Bible we are told to love our neighbor. Christ tells us to love our neighbor as much as we love ourself.  He also says to love our neighbor as He loves us.  But what does it really mean to love our neighbor and who is our neighbor? 

Webster's defines neighbor as "one living or located near."  So anyone near you, where ever you are, is your neighbor.  So we need to love everyone near us no matter where we are. 

How can I show love, especially when it is someone I do not know?  We can show love, Christ's love, by being kind.  Something as simple as a smile can show the love of Christ.  Telling someone, "God bless" can show the love of Christ.  Or we can do things like random acts of kindness, to show the love of Christ.  Carry the trash cans from the curb to the house of a neighbor.  Pump the gas for an expectant mother.  Pay for the car behind us at the fast food drive thru.  Bake cookies for an elderly friend.  Bring coffee to our co-worker.  If you know someone who has been sick, make dinner for them.  There are so many little random things we can do that show the love of Christ to others.

Christ loved us so much that He did more than just bring in our trash cans or buy us coffee.  He laid down His life for us.  Knowing that, surely we can do something to show love.  What can you do to show love to your neighbor today?