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Your Question:
What does it mean to 'love our neighbors as ourselves' in a chaotic world filled with noise and distractions?
Answer:
As I reflect on what it means to 'love our neighbors as ourselves' in a chaotic world, I'm reminded of the words of C.S. Lewis. He says that loving our neighbor doesn't mean feeling fond of them or finding them attractive, but rather it's about treating them with the same love and care that we would give to ourselves. This is a challenging concept, especially when we're surrounded by distractions and noise. To love our neighbor as ourselves, we need to start with something more manageable, like forgiving those closest to us, such as our family members. My wife Susan and I have been married for 19 years, and I've learned that forgiveness is essential in any relationship. By forgiving others, we begin to understand what it means to love our neighbor, and we can start to act as if we loved them, even if we don't feel like it at first. As C.S. Lewis says, "Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor; act as if you did." When we act with love and kindness towards our neighbors, we'll find that we begin to love them more genuinely. This is what I've experienced in my own life as a pastor and a husband and father. By serving others and showing them love and compassion, we can create a sense of peace and joy in our homes and communities. As the poem by Edgar Guest says, "Rest is here, they seem to say, Peace is here to close the day, Love is waiting to embrace You within this little place." This is what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves, and it's a beautiful thing to experience.
Sources:
biblical critical theory
christopher watkin
mere christianity
c s lewis
introduction biblical ethics
robertson mcquilkin
meaning of marriage
timothy keller
leviticus
jay slklar
true sexual morality
daniel heimbach
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