In Matthew 22:39 of the Bible, Jesus states the following: "Love your neighbor as yourself". This statement is later reinforced by Paul in Romans 13:8-10. What does this phrase, Love your neighbor as yourself, entail? To put it simply, it is saying that one should love those close to them in the same manner that they love themselves. Soren Kierkegaard takes this concept a step further, and posits that it is emphasizing how one ultimately views their self. Loving yourself in the right manner (not sinning against yourself) and loving your neighbor are one in the same, as they cannot occur without each other. Kierkegaard summarizes this as "you shall love yourself in the same way as you love your neighbor when you love as yourself".
With that being said, what exactly does this concept mean for today?
From what I've noticed, 'Love your neighbor' now has a conditional component attached to it: Love your neighbor as long as they are in complete agreement with you. To me, this point has been made particularly evident by the current political climate in our world. Everywhere I turn there is someone demeaning another because of whom they voted for, or because of how they conceive the government's role in society. Holding these individual ideologies are now the deciding factors of relationships.
Don't believe me? Pay attention to the responses to those who voice their support (or at least say that they voted) for Trump. While I am sure that opposite examples exist in one's timeline, the Trump example is one that I see often in my own.
Going back to love, I can see the relevance of sameness in it. We tend to gravitate towards those who are like us. Sameness generally makes it easier for us to adjust and build relationships. While I can understand this, I cannot help but think of the notion of loving your enemy. When we think of enemies, we think of those that are typically opposed to us. Opposition can be hostile, but it can also just mean different. Going by this, we can conclude that love should not be limited to those who are similar to us. This love is especially necessary for the Christian walk; "to love is duty" states Kierkegaard. It is a commandment, meaning that it is not optional. For those of other beliefs, however, this may not be the case.
To the Christians that are reading this: How are you upholding this command in your life? I know it is not easy, but we need to remember where our battle truly lies; and it is not against fellow man.
To those of other beliefs: Some of you might be reading this and think that this command does not apply to you. In any event, I challenge you to deliberately take on this love if you are not doing so already. Why? Because the love that you show ultimately reflects how you love yourself.
