Love Thy Neighbor

This feels like any other day in America, but we must not allow it to become ordinary. Now is the time for us all to come together in unity above politics and beyond enmity. “Love thy neighbor as thy self” is not a trite proverb in an old book. The wise words in Matthew 22:39 are a call to action, a living and breathing manifest, to do the tough daily work of empathy. Empathy is what elevates us as human souls with a destiny apart from animal instincts.

To coexist peacefully takes effort and commitment; to help a stranger requires resources and organization; to advance society we need foresight and planning; and to treat each other kindly and fairly presumes mutual support. Rising tides lift all boats, John F. Kennedy wisely said. But first, we must ensure that every last one of our brothers and sisters are not drowning in the waters. 

Love thy neighbor is not a task for a collection of molecules in a warm tidal pool. It’s the rigorous job of complex and evolved persons with emotional hearts and conscious minds who are willing to see beyond ourselves. Individually we are flawed, selfish, and frightened creatures, often scrambling to survive. This is why humans, from the very beginning, banned together. We realized we are stronger as a family, within a community, and, yes, in a diverse nation. Togetherness is our natural instinct; togetherness is our best state of being. So “love thy neighbor” is not an abstraction or a platitude; it’s a reminder of why we tiny humans exist at all in this infinite universe: To help each other.

In these troubling times when hate, violence, and political strife threaten to pull us apart — and exclude some people over others — let us remember that we are one tribe. The health of the overall community makes each one of us whole. And we are only as good as our weakest neighbor. So let it be.