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On Sunday we were reminded about the essence of God's instruction for our lives - that we love God with all of our being and that we love our neighbour as ourselves. This is the target we all, in some way, fall short of. And it is this target that we are invited, as followers of Jesus, to aim towards.

Over the next couple of weeks I'd like us to consider the second half of that "great commandment." What are some principles that can help us love our neighbour as ourselves? We'll take a brief look at one each week.

Principle #1:  Live with an awareness of everyone's humanity.

We live in a commerce based world. Almost everything we do involves buying and selling. Even art students take courses on how to sell or monetize their art. It is easy to begin to think - even subconsciously - of every interaction as a transaction.

Sometimes this makes sense. A purchase of goods = a transaction. An exchange of services = a transaction. Other times we balk at the idea of things being a transaction. A spouse preparing a meal for a hungry partner. A parent asking a child to do a chore. Participation in a church service. In a transactional world, though, it becomes very easy to think of these things in a transactional way . . . especially when things don't go as we'd like. If the food I desperately want at the end of a long day is burnt, and I get frustrated with the preparer . . . that's a transactional response. I expected something in this spousal transaction and it wasn't delivered. If I ask a child to do a chore and they struggle or neglect it and I get angry and lash out at them . . . that's a transactional response. I expected something in this parent/child transaction, and my expectations weren't met. If I go to church and I didn't get the songs I liked; the pastor preached too long; and my seat was taken, and I walk out complaining to my wife or my friends . . . that's a transactional response. I expect "the church" to provide me with certain things and it failed me.

Our tendancy to view interactions with people as transactions in which I will either get what I want or not get what I want objectifies people. It sees them as means to an end rather than as human beings created in the image of God. When Jesus calls us to love our neighbours as ourselves he is, at the very least, calling on us to see the humanity in each other. From this perspective transactions aren't primarily transactions at all. They are relational interactions with a fellow image bearer of God.

  • How different would life be if every time I got cut off on a highway I pondered the humanity of the person who cut me off. What has them in a rush? What hurt might they be experiencing that leads them to not notice others?
  • How different would life be if when a mistake is made on a bill I recognize the humanity of the person I call to help get it rectified?
  • How different would life be if I showed genuine concern for the humanity of my busy server instead of just frustration over my glass being emptied or my order being wrong?
  • How different would life be if I focused on the humanity of my family members when they do things in a way that really drives me crazy?

Recognizing humanity doesn't mean we never speak up about things. It means we do it in ways that honour the image of God in every other person . . . no matter what they've done to us.

As you move through this week, I encourage you to prayerfully seek to live with an awareness of others' humanity. Look for the image of God in them and try to help it to shine! That is the beginning of loving our neighbour as ourselves.