So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12
“For we may see that such persons are unwilling to submit to the same things which they inflict upon others, and reproach each other with hostile consciences for the acts which they perpetrate. And hence I think that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke well when He summed up all righteousness and piety in two commandments. They are these: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself.’ For the man who loves God with all the heart, and with all the strength, being filled with a God-fearing mind, will reverence no other god; and since God wishes it, he would reverence that angel who is beloved by the same Lord and God. And the man who loves his neighbor as himself will wish for him the same good things that he wishes for himself, and no man will wish evil things for himself. Accordingly, he who loves his neighbor would pray and labour that his neighbor may be possessed of the same benefits as himself. Now nothing else is neighbor to man than that similarly-affectioned and reasonable being–man. Therefore, since all righteousness is divided into two branches, namely, in so far as it regards God and men, whoever, says the Scripture, loves the Lord God with all the heart, and all the strength, and his neighbor as himself, would be truly a righteous man.”
Justin Martry (c.100-c.165) in Dialogue with Trypho XCIII (Roberts-Donaldson English Translation).
In this treatise, Justin Martyr aims to communicate that Christianity is the path all people must take if they desire to pursue righteousness.
Neighbor comes into view in an interesting way. He alerts us that as humans we tend to expect others to follow a higher standard and ignore our own brokenness.
Instead we must love God and show respect to His standard, and demonstrate obedience by loving others and aiding them to have the same benefits we desire.
What might this look like in your generosity? That does not mean to pursue many things for yourself and give a small bit of surplus to a neighbor. It means living differently.
How might you desire the “same good things” for others that you desire for yourself? Tonight is our neighborhood Second Friday Social. Jenni and I are hosting.
We will try to bless them with the “same good things” we would want so that they see and hear our love for God through our sharing of benefits and blessings with them.