RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET

“The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” – Mark 12:31.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” We’ve heard Jesus’ words many times (Mark 12:31), but sitting with them long enough to apply them can be life-shaping. This command isn’t an optional add-on to the Christian life—Jesus says it is second only to loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. These two loves are inseparable: our love for God is made visible in the way we love others. But what does it actually mean to love our neighbor as ourselves?

Most of us are pretty familiar with self-love—not the kind that’s prideful or self-obsessed, but the simple, everyday desire to look after our wellbeing. We feed ourselves when we’re hungry, seek comfort when we’re hurting, and look for connection when we’re lonely. Jesus invites us to take that same instinctual care and extend it outward. The hunger we feel—others feel too. The desire to be heard, valued, known—our neighbor aches for the same.

Our neighbor is not just like us, or the person we naturally like. When Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, He redefined “neighbor” as anyone in need whom God places in our path. A stranger lying on the side of the road. A co-worker who is discouraged. A friend who’s overwhelming us with their struggles. Yes—even the person who frustrates us the most. Loving our neighbor is an invitation to attend to the image of God in every human being we encounter.

This love stretches beyond convenience and comfort. Biblical love is active. It is patient when others test our patience. It gives when we feel like holding onto what’s ours. It forgives when we have every reason to stay hurt. It leans toward people rather than away. The love Jesus calls us to is a daily decision to live like His love is truly enough—enough to pour out, enough to share, enough to carry us when it’s hard.

And we do not love alone. God never commands without equipping. “We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19). The more we experience God’s grace, the more freely we can extend grace. The more we receive His patience, the more patient we become. Love begins not with trying harder, but with staying close to the One who is love.

Imagine what God might do if we took one step this week—just one step—toward loving a neighbor as we love ourselves. What if we offered encouragement instead of criticism? What if we slowed down enough to truly listen? What if we prayed regularly for the very person who challenges us? Those small seeds of love can grow into a harvest of transformation—in them and in us.

When we love our neighbor as ourselves, we participate in the very heartbeat of God. We reflect His character to a world desperate for compassion. And we step into the joy of the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed—right here and right now.

Discussion Questions:

1. Who comes to mind when you think of the word “neighbor,” and why? 
2. What’s the difference between a general feeling of love and the biblical command to love your neighbor as yourself? 
3. What are some different definitions of “love” you’ve encountered, and how does the biblical definition compare?