“Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:24, ESV

“‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ~ Mark 12:31b, ESV

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” ~ Philippians 2:4, ESV

I’ve been studying the first book of Corinthians through the First 5 app, and the first verse above got me thinking about other times the bible pretty much states the same thing. We talk a lot about what love is and isn’t, in fact we talked about 1 Corinthians 13 a couple posts back. But there’s a reason we talk about it so much…because God is love personified, and we are called to follow His lead. His Word actually says that the world will recognize us by our love (John 13:35)!

But how do we do this? According to the Word, by putting the needs of others before our own. Now, during this global viral outbreak, I’ve never seen so clearly, an example of what that might look like. In our country there are those at higher risk/danger when exposed to a virus like this; there are those who are afraid, and those who aren’t; and there are those who are struggling to get by, because they’ve lost an income (or two) and really need/want to get back to work. Seeking the good of others means that we have to come to some sort of agreement that works for all our neighbors, not just me and my household, and not just a favored few.

We need to stop and think about how we can help our neighbors during this time. Perhaps it means picking up groceries for someone at higher risk. Maybe it means wearing a mask to protect the people we come into contact with–even when we don’t feel like wearing one, or feel like we need one (I’m talking to myself, here). Or maybe it means helping someone who’s lost their job, pay utilities, or their housing bill until they can get back to work. And for those who do need help and are scared, don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Many are willing and able to help, but we don’t always know where the need is.

Oddly enough, my girls and I heard this Veggie Tales’ song, “Love Your Neighbor,” which I felt, fit in nicely with this topic, so I’m going to end this post with it. I love the lines that say: God made us special and now I can see. If you’re special to Him, then you’re special to me. The song reminds me that God loves each and every one of us; He made us all unique; and He wants us to show love towards one another by taking action…and lending a hand. I love you all! And God bless.