Love Thy Neighbor
Who is my neighbor?
Who is my enemy?
These two questions are at the heart of the next section in the Sermon on the Mount. The context in which Jesus is speaking to would have had very clear answers to both of those questions. Who is my neighbor? Anyone who is like me, culturally, religiously, and ethnically. Who is my enemy? Anyone who aligns with the Romans in any way. The line in the sand was clear both physically (borders and communities) and emotionally (hearts and minds). Jesus, however, is about to challenge their preconceived answers to both questions. Who is my neighbor? Everyone, so give generously but not to get personal fame and accolades like the hypocrites (frauds). Who is my enemy? Those who persecute you, and you are to pray for them.
What?!?
Exactly. Your neighbor includes your enemies, and the way you interact and treat them says more about what you think of God than what you think of yourself. Jesus calls us to purposefully love our neighbors and enemies. Bob Goff is a Christian leader and thinker who has helped challenge and shape my view of what it means to be purposefully responsive in loving my neighbor.
At the heart of Goff’s message is the idea that love is not static or theoretical; it moves. “Love is never stationary,” he writes. “In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or keep planning for it. Simply put: love does.” Here’s another way of saying it, loving our neighbors requires more than good intentions. It demands action—often spontaneous, risky, and even inconvenient. But isn’t that what Jesus talks about in the Sermon on the Mount? Love
This kind of love is also shockingly inclusive. Goff emphasizes that Jesus didn’t limit His love to the easy or respectable people. “Jesus talked to the people who weren’t the easiest to be around,” Goff observes. “He engaged the people most of us have spent our whole lives trying to avoid.” In a world increasingly fractured by politics, prejudice, and personal comfort, Jesus’ call to love without exception feels both prophetic and practical.
Importantly, loving our neighbor includes the awkward, irritating, or antagonistic people in our lives. Goff writes, “The people who are the hardest to love… are often the ones who need it the most.” This resonates deeply with Jesus’ command to love even our enemies (Matt. 5:44).
Love in action is not a love that waits on personal perfection. In other words, we do not need to be perfect to love others well. In fact, love is often most powerful in our availability, not our eloquence. This means that ordinary people with ordinary schedules can reflect God’s extraordinary love simply by showing up and being purposefully responsive.
And why would we be willing to venture into this kind of love that is willing to love our enemies? Because he first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19).