Or is such an unrealistic virtue ???
What does it mean in practical terms to " love your neighbor"?
by The Berean 16 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
isaacaustin
to recognize the needs of others you come in contact with, and try to fill that need.
My church this past weekend, for instance, held no services, but went into the community to do charitable deeds- visit nursing homes, clean up the neighborhood, help homeowners with household tasks, held a free garage sale for those in need..etc.
Outside of the curch setting it is simply helping others when you see they have a need...
-
shopaholic
isaacaustin
-
snowbird
Interesting, The Berean.
My non-JW sister, who lives in St. Pete, Florida, and I were discussing that very thing last evening.
We both agreed that, contrary to Cain's insolent reply, we ARE each other's keepers, and as such, we should look out for the welfare of and treat others as we wish to be treated.
In practical terms: The lady across the way called me this morning, she was fresh out of eggs, her daughter needed a good breakfast before going to cheerleader camp. Did I have 2 eggs that she could get?
As it turned out, I had exactly 40 eggs on hand, so I gave her a dozen.
She would have done - and has done - the same for me.
She also takes the old man who lives down the road from us a nice dinner every Sunday. We happen to be Black, he happens to be White, but it makes no difference.
That, in my book, is love of neighbor.
Sylvia
-
WTWizard
For sure, it isn't going around knocking on doors at 9:30 in the morning or holding people up at 5:30 AM who are trying to get to work on time, with a waste of paper with a death threat on it. And then having to place that death threat, and get the person to get a Washtowel Teach book that elaborates on that death threat.
It isn't trying to get children to skip college so they can pio-sneer. It isn't forcing children to go to long boasting sessions and keeping them quiet through the whole session, especially in lieu of a real vacation. It isn't keeping children from enjoying the holidays like everyone else does.
-
Chalam
Hi,
Loads of stuff, physcial needs, emotional, financial, whatever :)
Matthew 22:39 (New International Version)
39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Proverbs 3:27-28 (New International Version)
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.28 Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.Acts 4:34-35 (New International Version)
34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
All the best, Stephen -
isaacaustin
JWs like to point to James 2 where it says faith without works is dead. Even IF we accepted it as they take it to mean, they define the works as door to door, going to meetings, etc. Yet verse 27 defines the works as charitable deeds, no strings attached kind deeds to others. When is the last time, for instance, that the GB had the congs worldwide hold no meetings for a weekend to go do kind, no strings attached deeds for the community?? The answer is obvious. The only time they cancel meetings is to go to the conventions or assemblies.
-
shamus100
It means doing something for someone each and every day. There is something you can do for someone even if it's really small - it still counts.
issacaustin,
Big thumbs up from me too.
-
isaacaustin
Great point on application shamus. It means perhaps even sacrificing our normal worship to help someone out along the way
-
snowbird
I never bought into the WT's view that the preaching work is a superb way of showing neighborly love.
People can't eat, wear, pay their bills, etc., with WTS literature!
Sheesh!
Sylvia