who is my neighbor

Luke 10:25–37


To love God and our neighbor encompasses the whole of the gospel. If we love God, we will keep His commandments. If we love our neighbor, the outcome is the same as the first. We serve our neighbor to serve God. 


"We need to remember that though we make our friends, God has made our neighbors--everywhere. Love should have no boundary; we should have no narrow loyalties." Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, November, 1986, 35


How can we help our neighbor? Give liberally to the food bank. Help out at the soup kitchen. Donate money and time to charities that clothe, feed, and nurture the poor. Make quilts, hygiene kits, school kits, and other items for disaster and war relief. Smile and greet all we meet. Be an example of the believers. But not pass on the other side and ignore our neighbors. 


Right now my neighbor lives in weather and nuclear devastated Japan and war ravaged Africa and the Middle East. My neighbors are the orphaned through disease, poverty, war, and politics in Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands of the Sea. My neighbor is the woman wishing for clean water in India and Africa. My neighbor is the women around the world that need a little help and encouragement learning to love there families and be a keepers at home; Titus 2:4-5. My neighbor is my family far away to whom I can write letters of encouragement. My neighbor is my family that lives in my home or who come to visit that I can serve with charity and joy. My neighbor is myself that I can serve by learning to be a better disciple of Christ and caring for my holy temple.