In my previous post entitled, Everyday Faith, I expressed my perspective of the oft-used but oft-misunderstood concept of faith as promulgated by prevailing religious thought. Among the tenets upon which all major religions agree is "love of fellowman." But, while the tenet endures, often, the actions of religious practitioners are often lacking. More often than not, the primitive battle continues to be waged within the elementary religious minds, "My God is better than your god."
So, in this writing, let us explore how this tenet of "love thy neighbor" can be realized and actualized. We take as a backdrop, the words from the Bible (KJV) as recorded in Matthew 22:35-40:
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"
Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
One of the unique things that makes the USA an inspiration around the world (in spite of our belligerent imperialistic tendencies) is the Constitution of 1787. In the Constitution is enshrined some of the most revolutionary jurisprudence in the recorded history of the world; namely, the Bill of Rights, and particularly the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Certainly, our country has not always adjudicated this provision to ensure the rights of all be respected fairly and consistently; but this principle enshrined in the bedrock of the Law affords to us certain freedoms that routinely get people jailed or killed in other countries.
We certainly have heard many of our less educated countrymen laud the wisdom of this law as they use it to espouse their own vile hatred and other vitriol and foolishness. We know them to be fools because they fail to understand that, among other things, their right to free speech does not require others to like what they say or view it as right, correct, or true. Further, exercising their right does not infringe on others to exercise their own right to refute, challenge, or condemn what they have spoken.
The powers that work in the shadows have used the people's ignorance and zeal against them. So, while they have been afforded and enjoy certain privileges in society, they fail to see that they, too, are trapped in the same oppressive system, ruled by a higher, hidden (human) power. They have not yet learned that, as Martin Luther King said, "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
But, regardless of the fostered inequality in society, it behooves us all to see and acknowledge there is a Higher Power, an Ultimate Power that rules all and is Supreme above all and in all; thus relegating all of us as co-equal creatures in His Creation.
In the passage cited above, the young man asked the question about the greatest commandment in the Law. This young man was most likely well versed in the Torah, and very familiar with the 613 laws. I can envision him wearing the fringes, having a beard, etc. However, for all of his conformity, perhaps he was feeling overwhelmed with the rules and regulations of a Jewish culture, perhaps he sensed that there was an end or purpose to the Law, and that life was meant to be more than the mere robotic observance of the Law. So, he asked what may have been a controversial question. After all, how can any commandment of God be any greater than any other? Aren't they all God's words?
But, Jesus taught him that the greatest commandment is love:
...Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Certainly, this seems reasonable enough. Love God, and love your fellowman. But, there is another question here that we often gloss over because it seems so obvious. Yet, serious contemplation of this question has the power to profoundly and permanently change our perceptions of ourselves and others. The question is simply this:
if we are to love God with our all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, what do we have left to love anyone or anything else with?
In other words, with what capacity can we love our fellowman as God commands, without taking away any love directed toward God?
Let us build ourselves up to an answer.
When a man or woman starts out in the world, they (hopefully) start out with a heart full of love both for and from their parents and siblings. Then, one day, that man or woman comes in contact with a significant other who sweeps him/her off his/her feet. The relationship often turns to marriage, as the two fall in love; and yet, as they love each other with their whole heart, they still love their parents, siblings, other relatives and friends.
Then, one day they marry and decide to start a family. And, with each child that comes along, they love each child with all their heart; they still love each other, and they still love all of their other loved ones--and God. In fact, the fuller a person's life is with helping others, e.g. a teacher or doctor, the move love one can experience. It is as if the more one loves, the greater is one's capacity to love!
This is a common experience, but seldom do we give any thought to it, other than it is beautiful and wonderful and amazing. We recognize in the moment that this is what life is all about--before we get sucked back into all of the cares and challenges of life.
So, what is the great mystery behind this sublime phenomenon?
When William S. Crowdy, a prophet of God, came forth with his commission from God, he recorded in his debut treatise entitled "The Bible Story Revealed":
Thus saith the Lord GOD, who is Supreme above all and in all.
In my estimation, we find this ever increasing reciprocity of love in our lives because God is IN ALL! God is in our neighbor, and thus, we can love our neighbor without taking away from our love for God because God is in our neighbor, too!
Life is about us learning how to love. As we follow the story of Children of Israel in the Torah, God tells Israel many times about who, how, and why to love. God said, "Love the stranger..." "Love the poor..." "Love whomever..." because you know what it's like to be in their shoes. You know what it's like to be without, you know what it's like to make a mistake, you know what it's like to hurt (inadvertently) or be hurt. You know what it's like to be oppressed. You know what it's like to be displaced. You know what it's like to be hungry and thirsty. And, all of us, at some point, have been on the "down side" of life as well.
So, we must learn to take the circumstances and situations--the conditions--off of love. We have become accustomed to (i.e. have been trained to) love people if they do something for us, if they give us something, if they can help us or strengthen our position or boost our esteem. But, this is conditional love! It is selfish, and what it really means is that we love ourselves through another; we can only truly love the other if there are no conditions, no predications, no prerequisites.
The test of the genuineness of our love is this: if the other person had nothing to give us (no money, no esteem, etc.), would we still love them? Further, if the other person needed something from us, would we give it?
Prophet William S. Crowdy not only taught this profound love and ever abiding indwelling of God in his prophetic words, but he lived it as he went to preach to the very ones who instituted and benefited from the enterprise that enslaved and oppressed him.
Certainly, how we show love may vary according to circumstances--maybe we don't give the thief access to our money and goods, but compassionate humility compels us to remember that the thief has God in him, too. Maybe we don't give the abuser access to hurt us, but compassionate humility compels us to remember that the abuser has God in him, too. I can love myself enough to move out of harm's way without hating one who would do me harm. This, again, requires humility, as well as faith, courage, and action, because just because one does not recognize the indwelling of God within him/herself and act accordingly doesn't mean that it's not there.
We should maintain a baseline love for all people. This is the whole duty of man. It requires us to put aside judgment, let go of grudges, and lay aside every weight that does so easily beset us... because God is in us--in ALL of us!
