LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, EVEN DURING PANDEMIC

 The reality of the Pandemic is difficult at many levels as it seems to have brought everything to a halt and has restricted our capacity to meet and be with others. – Social distancing makes social relationship and social connection much more difficult. Indeed it restricts communal gatherings and suspension of religious services in many places throughout the world. However God calls us to love and serve our neighbors through our vocations – our callings. God works through us to provide for human needs. This crisis is one where God calls each of us to be a blessing to others. One of the ways which Churches and religious communities improve health and wellbeing is by trying to live out the command to love one’s neighbor and seek the good of others. The principles of love are more challenging at the present time with social distancing measures in place. There are numerous possibilities to carry this out at this time, which includes connecting with families and friends via phone, video-conferencing, helping out neighbors in need with practicalities and grocery delivery: donating to charities that are seeking to provide help and relief, volunteering one’s time to provide care seeking to restore relations with broken families and in need of forgiveness.

But what does it actually mean to be a good neighbor? In Luke 10:25-29, we read: An expert in the Jewish law (or lawyer) i) asks Jesus “who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers by telling a story about a man in great need (verses 30-37). While traveling, this man was attacked by robbers, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite, who were a part of the religious community, walked by the man and ignored him. But a Samaritan came and cared for the man and provided for his needs at great cost to himself. Jews and Samaritans despised each other, so the fact that a Samaritan helped, and not a priest or Levite, was a shocking statement. Jesus then asked the lawyer “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (36) Two important things have been pointed out by teachers of the Bible about this parable. First, the primary point of this parable was to expose to the lawyer that he needed a Savior, which was the only way the lawyer could “inherit eternal life.” Ii) Second, this parable teaches us what it looks like to love our fellow man. True love is sacrificial and meets the needs of others. This lawyer asked Jesus the wrong question. He asked Jesus “who is my neighbor?” Better questions to ask are “whose neighbor am I?” and “what kind of neighbor should I be?” iii) As Jesus taught, we were created to love God and others. And like the lawyer, we all have fallen short of this. Sin is the result of our failure to love God and neighbor. God, however, acted on our behalf in sending His Son. As our Savior, Jesus lived the life we couldn’t and died the death we deserve. He lived a perfect life of love to both God and others.

In the ancient world, people were categorized because they were Jews or Gentiles, slave or freeborn, rich or poor, Greek or Barbarian. Unfortunately this was the situation in the age James lived and still relevant today. This age we are filled with prejudice, discrimination (partiality) and hatred based on class, ethnicity, nationality, race and religion, as well as tribalism.

The Good News of the gospel (the work of Jesus Christ and His disciples) was to:

• break down these walls that divide humanity (Ephesians 2:14-15)
• Make social barriers loose much of their strength/power (Gal 3:28; Col 3:11)
• 3)Bring forth one new race of mankind in Him – He is Lord of all Acts 10:34; Rom 3:29; 2:11; 1 Peter 1 :17).

Favoritism and prejudice are worldly and unscriptural and should not be allowed, seen or practiced among believers or in the Church. Acts 2:42-47

The unity and openness of the early Church shocked/ astonished the ancient world. Acts 11:15-17

God baptized them with the Holy Spirit and gave the Gentiles the same gifts He gave the Jews Christian –Why should you treat them with partiality/discrimination? If you do, you stand in God’s way/opposes God. Rom 15:5-7; James 2:1

Do not hold faith of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory in partiality.

As a believer, treat everyone the same not with partiality or discrimination. Due 10: 17-19, 15:7-8, Acts 10:34. No personal favoritism – partiality or biased judgment based on external circumstances, such as races, wealth, social rank, education, income, etc. If you treat the rich (well dressed, wear gold rings) different from the poor (dirty/ filthy clothing). Give high seat to the well dressed and ask the poorly dressed to stand in a distance or sit on the floor or say nothing to them at all:

• You have shown partiality/ discrimination
• Behave like judges with evil thoughts.
• Sometimes, it goes beyond social status or income or different people groups, or skin color or language etc. it may have to do with prejudice Rom 12:3

Sometimes it goes beyond social status or income or different people group or skin color or language etc. It may have to do with prejudice Rom 12:3. Some few key family people can control a church and these “cliques” can ruin a church. There is absolutely no place in Christianity for prejudice, cliques, favoritism and discrimination. There is observed preferential treatment for those who come to church wearing expensive attire and most time neglect those who are poorly dressed. Today, in our church and society, we are guilty of partiality

• Show partiality between poor and rich
• Show preferential treatment to visitor’s bases on their dressing, outward appearances, the car they drive, homes they live in.
• Show hospitality towards rich, ignoring the poor
• Show partiality between different race

James outlines how we consider our neighbors based on:

• Worldly things
• Power
• Social status
• Appearance
  • Today, it’s easy for us to love
• Those who look like us
• Those who dress the way we do
• Those who belong to the same social class as we do

It’s comfortable/easy to have those we pre-defined as worthy: i) friends and ii) family. Network of friendships often run along the lines created by income level, education and professional status.

It is harder to love:

• those who are different,
• we prejudge and label.
• We discriminate against: *those we would rather not break bread with; *those we do not like but God has called us to include them as brethren. *Who are not in our circle of friends?

James highlighted area of:

• Favoritism – personal and cooperate
• Separatism
• Inclusion/ exclusion
• The disregard of others
• Strong class of discrimination bases on outward appearance.

Why Christian should not discriminate/prejudice

• it is inconsistent with faith in Christ.
• Blaspheme the worthy name of the Lord
• We leave the impression that Jesus is partial (prejudice, biased, racist) since we are to imitate him (Luke 6:40)
• Become judges with evil thoughts – God hate unjust judges
• Judging against the poor based on our prejudice means fighting against God – Psalm 109:31
• We despise those God has honored (poor):
• God has chosen to honor the poor.
• The good news was proclaimed to the poor (Matt 11; 56, Luke 7:22);
• The poor are to be rich in faith (Matt 19:24, James 2:5).
• The poor are to be heirs of the kingdom.
• More poor are likely to respond to the gospel them rich (I Cor. 1:26-29).
• Perhaps that he might beat down the pride of the rich.

God is the Lord of All (Acts 10:34-35; Eph 5:1; 1 Peter 1:17). God makes no distinctions; not a respecter of persons. The rich are most likely to take advantage of /oppress the poor. Drag the poor to court. Use their influence (affluent) to throw them into prison. We break the royal law – you shall love your neighbor as yourself – Leviticus 19:18, Matt 22:36-40, Rom 13:8-10. It is a terrible sin and violates the law of love. Be ready to face judgment on the last day-law of liberty. Whoever keeps all the laws and fail in one is guilty of all

James perspective of discrimination/prejudice of any kind is not consistent with Christian belief and faith. Our parameter for who is or not our neighbor excludes “undesirable neighbor” and the presence of God. Since everybody has at least one or two unique gifts and talents we also exclude those gifts to be used for God’s Kingdom. It works against the gospel message of offering love, justice and mercy. (Black lives matter). As a matter of fact every life matters to God and humanity. We limit the means of forming a free and just society for ourselves, our children and next generation. There are protest, tension and insecurity everywhere, such that when your child leaves home you will be praying for his/her return alive. It shows gross disregard to human life. Jesus utterly rejected the legalism of the Pharisees (vv.1–12), quoting and fulfilling the prophecy of Hosea: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice’ (Matthew 12:7, Hosea 6:6).

We preach against abortion of the unborn but turn our eyes the other way against white police brutalizing black folks.  We should stand on God’s position on human diversity. God’s kingdom is made up of people of all races, tribe and color. This is a divine eternal order design by God and no nation can change it.  The scripture says all mankind are created equally. It is a lie to believe in white supremacy theory. Psalm 89:14 says Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of God’s throne. “The Maker of heaven and earth … upholds the cause of the oppressed and … loves the righteous” (Psalms 146:6–8) “God’s character includes a zeal for justice that leads him to love tenderly those who are socially powerless (Psalms 10:14 – 18). For the same offense, in the same court the white folks are given less jail term than his black counterparts. “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:15).

We appoint and fill our courts with judges who do not serve our interest. They are not to distort justice by favoring either the poor or the rich (Exodus 23:3; Leviticus 19:15). God also charges kings to act justly and instructs them to look after the weak and defenseless. “Endow the king with your justice, O God . . . May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice” (Psalms 72:1 – 2). Set /reflect confusion with faith confession. Self defining who our neighbor is reveals the kind of God we believe in and worship as a people and as a church in America.  This is social injustice. It exposes the deficiencies in how we love and obey God in our own way not as Christ command – hypocrisy in Church (or Churchanity) –man made doctrines. We should not be delusional when we go to cast our votes; beware of  the same old politicians who do not serve our interest. These politicians believe that all animal are equal and some are more equal than the others – George Orwell. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others” (Luke 11:42).

We live in a world so easily blinded from truth. We allow laws made by divisive group to determine how God looks like and how we treat each other. We base how we treat others on feelings not on love or the faith we profess. It makes our distrust of others to grow deeper and deeper and the world a less inviting place to live in. Every day we watch/listen to our news media (Television & Radio). An innocent black boy gunned down in white neighborhood. White police officers molest black road users.  Sometimes it’s hard not to be absorbed — and disturbed — by the news of the day. Mass killings and unpredictable violence. Economic uncertainty. Intolerance of others’ religious beliefs and personal freedoms and regional wars that devastate whole countries and displace millions of people. And that’s not even talking about political strife here at home, which is increasingly strident, belligerent and ultimately dangerous. People are qualified to be employed but disdained because of their color, or the way they look. We vote people into office not because they are capable but because of their social status or color. Why do we complain that they are not performing?  In most charismatic Church, they intentionally seek after wealthy people; deliberately offer them the positions of Assistant pastor, Deacon, Elder, etc, even when they are not fit to be celebrated Ushers.

Life Experience: When I arrived in US in 1999, I lived in Conroe on the way 1-45 to Dallas. One day I attended a Church service in down town Conroe. I sat on a bench in a row; before I knew it, the congregants on that row all stood up and vacated their seats. I said to myself, I possess this seat/row in Jesus name. I did not stand up. After the service, the white pastor came to me and said to me, you are welcome and I hope you will come again. I quickly responded, “I am not welcome. I shall not come back.”  He simply said to me, I know, we are working on it.

As I stand here this day, I am still dreaming, hoping and having faith in a different kind of Church, of world and society. A world emerging from lessons learnt from our ancestors, from treating others as we want to be treated. A dream of new world, where love for others exist and prevail over envy, power and hate. A world where love makes room for other people who may not smell, look, talk and behave like us. A world where visible signs of Christ love are exhibited among all His blood has brought and paid for. This type of dream world would cost us something more than willful thinking. It may demand walking into the temple like Jesus did and turning over the tables. It could call for tenacity never to rest until all humanity is respected and cared for. A world radiated with the goodness of God whether they are host or guest, citizens or immigrants – love is given and received equitably.

The more reason Black History should not be a just a-month-a-year affair just like Christmas, after the event, the tree/costumes are packed and placed in hiding to surface next year. As I dream, hope and have faith: *I have a picture of a small town/community where people of all race walk the streets and go about their daily endeavors without molestation, segregation, hatred and discrimination. *In a play ground, centered large table with people sitting around it sharing a meal. *Where both citizens, and immigrants/strangers from all people and nations join in love and friendship. *The small city surrounded by bridges without alls/fences. *Everyone would feel at home in the town because everyone is welcome. *Everyone would learn to love and respect whichever persons that walk their streets and befriend and accommodate whichever neighbor – black/white/blue/red –living in their neighborhood. Galatians 5:14 – For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (NKJV); Romans 13:9 – For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (NKJV)

Maybe that’s why I find comfort in the words spoken almost 75 years ago, on the eve of U.S. involvement in WWII, by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his State of the Union address on January 6, 1941, which came to be known as the Four Freedoms Speech:  In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression — everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way — everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want — which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants — everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear — which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any        neighbor—anywhere        in         the       world. But don’t forget or be deceived, just as we judge the evils of times gone by, the future will pass its judgment upon us—what we did, how we let it happen, what we neglected. Certainly there is as much underserved great harm today as in times past. But what we know is that even in the worst of times, there were people who spoke out, stood up, and continued to be good, kind, and just. Some periods make it easier to be virtuous than other times. Yet even under the worst of tyrannies, there are good people—noble spirits who manage to express themselves, extend a hand, and open their homes and their hearts to those in distress. It is when we are challenged that our character emerges. It is then, under these difficult circumstances, that we attempt to find the balance between our inner and outer beings. Compassion is always at hand, and the ability to express loving-kindness is always present. This is what life is for: to live with others in such a way that love, peace, and justice may find a secure home, no matter how trying the times, even if that security lasts only for a day.

Reference:
‘Love Your Neighbor as Yourself’ Bible Verse   By Mary Fairchild
Living in Difficult Times by Arthur Dobrin D.S.W.