A Word from the Vine No. 543: The Neighbor Test

Well hello there, friends. This is A Word from the Vine, and I’m Pastor Loren Christensen, coming to you from the Danish Countryside Chapel in Exira, Iowa.

Now I want to talk to you today about something simple — but not easy. It’s something Jesus said that’s so clear, so direct, it almost doesn’t need explaining. But if we’re honest, it sure needs practicing.

Here it is — straight from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verse 31:

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some neighbors who are easy to love. They wave when they drive by, they shovel their sidewalk, and they bring over rhubarb pie in the summer. But I’ve also got some neighbors who make it a little harder. Maybe you do too.

Jesus didn’t say, “Love your neighbor if they’re polite.” He didn’t say, “Love your neighbor if they vote like you.” He didn’t even say, “Love your neighbor if they believe what you believe.” He just said — love them. As yourself.

That’s the neighbor test.

And let me tell you something: you can be a good American without being a good Christian. Happens all the time. But you can’t be a good Christian in America without being a good American — and that starts with loving your neighbor. Not just the ones who agree with you. All of them.

Now I remember a time when I had a neighbor who disagreed with me on just about everything. We argued about taxes, schools, even the best kind of barbecue. But one day, his wife got sick. And I’ll never forget the look on his face when I showed up with a casserole and a prayer.

He didn’t need a debate. He needed a neighbor.

And you know what? That casserole did more for our relationship than a hundred arguments ever could. Because love speaks louder than opinions.

So here’s my challenge to you today: take the neighbor test. Think of someone in your life who’s hard to love. Maybe they’ve hurt you. Maybe they frustrate you. Maybe you just don’t understand them. And ask yourself — what would it look like to love them as yourself?

Maybe it’s a phone call. Maybe it’s a prayer. Maybe it’s just choosing not to respond to that post online.

Whatever it is — do it. Because the world doesn’t need more noise. It needs more neighbors.

This has been A Word from the Vine. I’m Pastor Loren. Thanks for listening — and go love somebody today.