One of the best ways to love your neighbor is to see Christ in them.
When your neighbor gets angry because your lawn sprinkler splashed his car, look for the Christ in him. See the man who is able to forgive and express patience and understanding.
When your son does his homework, but fails to turn it in to his teacher on time, see the Christ in him. See the child of God that remembers what he’s supposed to do, and when it should be done.
When your husband forgets to pick up a few groceries for dinner on his way home from work so you can finish making dinner, see the Christ in him. See the man of God who has good intent and is fully committed to helping out at home.
When you make a major blunder at work and disappoint your boss, see the Christ in yourself and in your boss. See the goodness of God in the two of you that is forgiving and loved.
Christ is divine Love expressed. Christ is infinitely forgiving, patient, understanding, sincere, honest, forthright, intelligent, able, capable, wise, generous and kind.
Christ is not a temporal human personality fraught with foibles, errors and shortcomings. Christ is the spiritual individuality of man empowered by God to be forever good. And Christ is present in everyone. It is there to be seen and honored, cherished and acknowledged.
Finding Christ in a neighbor who appears mean and hardened might seem impossible. But be patient. Be persistent. Be determined to find it. Christ is there. It is present. Don’t doubt it’s reality for a second. Keep looking until you find it.
To deny the presence of Christ in a neighbor is to hate them. To find Christ in your neighbor is to love them.
Choose to love them!
This message is so wonderfully helpful. It makes me want to love more and more and more
I’ve healed an unhappy situation by knowing “Man is the image of Love and cannot be made to express a single quality that doesn’t come from God>”
Your blog encourages me to do much, much more.
Thankyou very much, Evan.
Opening to Christ’s Idea in our daily lives seems to kindle our awareness in overcoming any negative thoughts.
I appreciate the idea of always remembering that we have an opportunity (and responsibility) as Christians to continually recognizing the Truth about a person in every situation. I think this is especially helpful if we have a tendency to keep score by using words like — you always, you never, you rarely. To see each moment as fresh and always reflecting the Christ helps to remove the judging that can occur. Thanks so much for this important and helpful reminder about loving our neighbor … and ourselves!
Thanks Evan, this is exactly what I needed to hear. It’s such a joy to read these Divine ideas!!
Yes, I agree, this is a Wonderful idea, Evan! But I also want to point out that being naive (“showing lack of informed judgment”) can be a pitfall. I have found myself in some very dangerous situations with men, by not seeing what I needed to see about their intentions and motives. So, I would say, look for the Good and the Christ in others, but also be alert to see beneath some of the outer cover-ups and denials that people sometimes use to hide their less than noble intentions! Evil, Error can be very subtle at tmes and our duty is to Watch! and then Pray!
Yes, important point Bev! One must be wiser than serpents. And it’s heartening to understand that the Mind of Christ is wiser than serpents and sees the evil that needs to be exposed. To love another is not to ignore their evil, but to dis-empower it and work to prevent harm.
Evan brings out an excellent point; “To deny the presence of Christ In your neighbor is to hate him. To find CHRIST in your neighbor is to love him.”
Thank you, Evan, for this wake-up call! I’m “post-it noting” it on my phone and computer here at work!
Dear Evan,
I get much from what you share and the authority with which you share it. This is no exception, and I feel it will help me in my healing practice, too!
Thanks Evan, great post! (=
Thanks, Evan, for your response to my comment! It was very helpful and encouraging! With Love…..