Love your neighbor - unless you don't want to

I love church folk. I know we ain't perfect. I know we smell, act funny, talk funny and a lot of times just plain screw up. But I love us anyhow. Lately though, there has been something just sticking in my craw (I've been trying to find a way to use that phrase in sentence!).

Those of us who are "Christians" (those seeking to live in the way of Jesus), claim to know him and at least try to follow him. In the process we've kind of figured out that there are some ways of life that are just better than others (i.e., lying to everyone around you and alienating yourself is not near as good a life as bringing people together and doing good, etc, etc). But along with that we've taken our findings too far and have begun to ask people all around us to behave just like we do. Usually (at least I'll choose to believe) its all out of looking for the best for someone. However, we have created this hierarchy of sins, of people and of judgement - none of which are our role, do we do well, or should we ever spend any time doing.

Which gets me to this - Jesus was clear when asked what the greatest commandment was - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength" (from the Shema prayer). And he said the second is like it - "Love your neighbor as yourself." Later Jesus said - "Love one another as I have loved you." Most church going folks would recognize and even be able to quote these very verses. But we've lost sight of them somehow. Somehow we've made our judgement of whether someone is "in" or "out" of Jesus kingdom the primary tenant of faith and church-going. We've placed this somehow above loving our neighbors. This is not a little oops. This is a huge difference in living life and sharing it with others.

God help us to love those around us with your love and to not judge. Somehow give us love even for those we don't understand.