Last week I had the privilege of helping to record some of the songs that will be used for our take-home Vacation Bible School happening this week. The theme this year is Who Is My Neighbor? Several of the songs I already knew, but one was brand new to me and was catchy enough to stay in my head for several days after. As frustrating as it can be to have a song stuck in your head for days, I was actually glad to reflect on the words of the song — words that I want my own children to embody; words I think we all need to focus on for a while.
Love, love, love one another and be kind,
to your sister and your brother,
…to your mother and your father,
…to your friends and your neighbor,
Jesus told us to love him and to love
everyone, so let your light shine.
Love, love, love one another and be kind,
be kind to each other.
The course of history has proved that humanity has had a hard time enacting this idea: that we should love all people as neighbors and be kind to each other. Jesus made it quite clear in his teachings to any who would listen that this was, in fact, the most important part of how we are to live out our lives alongside the rest of God’s children. Yet before that time and since, we continue to fall short of this greatest commandment.
Our recent days and weeks have especially showcased how this idea of loving our neighbor has been pushed to the side, or how our society has found ways to qualify who counts as “neighbor.” Who is my neighbor? Everyone. How should I treat them? With love and kindness. But that’s hardly how it seems to be these days in most places.
As the church, the body of Christ in the world, we are meant to be a shining light in a world filled with dark places. As people who profess faith in the One who loves everyone always, we are meant to do the very same. Worship is a time each week when we re-center our lives on God and re-focus our attention on the truth that all of us are God’s children, brothers and sisters to one another. All of us. As you prepare for worship today, take time to consider your neighbors. All of them. Pray for them. Pray for our society that love and kindness will rule the day rather than hate, intolerance or indifference. Pray that we all would love, love, love one another and be kind. Always.