How to Love your neighbor

by | May 8, 2016 | Spiritual Growth | 0 comments

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How to Love Your neighbor

The Whistler – A lesson on How to LOVE your Neighbor.

It’s kind of creepy when I see my neighbor, standing in the shadows of his window at night. He just stands there, peering out into the dark night… waiting.

How to Love your neighborEventually I realized that he is waiting for a dog to bark, so he can blow his high-pitched whistle. When a dog barks he blows his whistle repeatedly, until people start to come out of their homes to yell at him. Occasionally, these confrontations have ignited into a screaming match. This is why I refer to him as, “The Whistler”.

One evening, I came out of my front door and saw that the whistler had backed out of his driveway and hit my parked car. He was standing by my car, when he said, “This is your fault, because your car’s bumper is infringing in my driveway!” ( I noted, barely 2 inches) He went on to tell me that he could legally have my car towed for that.

I thought to myself, “Um, okay, not sure how to respond to this one”. LOL. So I called the police. The officer came and explained to the Whistler that it’s pretty much always your fault when you’re the only one involved in an accident. That’s what I was thinking too! We exchanged information. Later, I thought about loving your neighbor so I asked the Lord what He would have me do in this situation. How to Love your neighbor

God spoke to my heart and gave me a lesson on how to love your Neighbor. I heard God speak to my heart, “Show him My grace”. God told me how to respond in the opposite spirit. So, I walked over to my neighbors house and said to him,”I want to talk to you about my car. Times are hard for everyone these days and I just want to be a good neighbor to you and extend you grace. So I’ve decided to release you of your obligation to fix my bumper.”

He was very surprised, thanked me, and then HUGGED me! A few days later, I came outside to find that the bumper was mended! As you can see in the photo, it was decent size dent. I don’t know how it got repaired, just one day – it was fixed. The Whistler? An angel? I don’t know, it’s a mystery to me!

It’s been a few months and I have not heard the whistler yell or whistle at anyone! That right there is worth the price of a bumper! Lol.

My neighbor looks a lot like my bumper; damaged, worn & scratched. Perhaps he needed a little kindness and attention to smooth out some of his rough places.
Maybe he didn’t know how to give grace to others because he had not received it himself.

How to Love your neighborI don’t know his story, but that day, I chose to shine a little light into my neighbors dark window. Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Where can you shine your light today?
The world is watching you. What will they see when they look through the windows of your soul?
How can you love your neighbors this week? What will do to extend grace and love to them?

Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven.

 

Who is the enemy?

We know that we are not fighting against (people) flesh and blood, but against authorities, powers and evil spiritual forces.  -Ephesians 6:12. In order to gain the heart of people that are under the influence of the enemy, we need to respond in the opposite spirit. This is the spirit of grace, love and reconciliation.

If someone is yelling, respond in peace and gentleness. If a person gossips, reply by building others up. When someone is acting hateful, choice to love. If insulting, give honor or praise. If they are fearful, build their faith. These are a few examples of responding in the opposite spirit.

I know it isn’t easy. You will have to overcome pride, but the pay off is worth the effort!

When responding in the opposite spirit, becomes the norm in your life, peace will follow you wherever you go. People will be drawn to you, and God’s favor will grace your life.How to Love your neighbor

When we refuse to align ourselves with the negative spirits at work within someone else, that person will often begin to soften towards us, and align themselves with the spirit of God, that is at work within us. Why? Because Greater is HE who within us than he who is in the world.

John 1, 4:4 says, Little children, (believers, dear ones)  you are of God, and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them.- (the agents of the antichrist) because He, (Jesus) who is in you, is greater than he (satan) who is in the world (of sinful mankind).

Remember, that both Jesus and satan demonstrate themselves through people. The question is, which spirit are you going to be influenced by? I hope you were blessed by this lesson on how to love your neighbor.

Please be sure to leave a comment for me.

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