Love your neighbor

I was always taught the second greatest commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself.. True enough right?? But that means first you have to love yourself...so many people today are do down on themselves today even in Christian circles! We do not even begin to see ourselves as God sees us..we see the mistakes, the faults, and think we are not good...but yet God thought we were good enough to send His Son to die so He could have a relationship with us! That means we are worth something. Next argument...God made us and He doesn't make junk, or make mistakes...so we are perfectly, uniquely designed to fullfill a purpose that is a unique as we are.

My next observation about this command, hit me when I was reading in Leviticus 19. Verse 18 says says "Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord." Now, I would have to admit that when I get offended I can hold a grudge...but wait a minute...not holding a grudge is tied to the second greatest commandment given by the Lord! I can't love my neighbor as myself if I am holding a grudge against him.

So to honor this commandment I must learn to love myself for the unique person God created me to be and I must learn not to carry a grudge or seek revenge!