Morning, March 12

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour."

  Matthew 5:43

   "Love thy neighbour." Perhaps he rolls in riches, and thou art poor,
   and living in thy little cot side-by-side with his lordly mansion; thou
   seest every day his estates, his fine linen, and his sumptuous
   banquets; God has given him these gifts, covet not his wealth, and
   think no hard thoughts concerning him. Be content with thine own lot,
   if thou canst not better it, but do not look upon thy neighbour, and
   wish that he were as thyself. Love him, and then thou wilt not envy
   him.

   Perhaps, on the other hand, thou art rich, and near thee reside the
   poor. Do not scorn to call them neighbour. Own that thou art bound to
   love them. The world calls them thy inferiors. In what are they
   inferior? They are far more thine equals than thine inferiors, for "God
   hath made of one blood all people that dwell upon the face of the
   earth." It is thy coat which is better than theirs, but thou art by no
   means better than they. They are men, and what art thou more than that?
   Take heed that thou love thy neighbour even though he be in rags, or
   sunken in the depths of poverty.

   But, perhaps, you say, "I cannot love my neighbours, because for all I
   do they return ingratitude and contempt." So much the more room for the
   heroism of love. Wouldst thou be a feather-bed warrior, instead of
   bearing the rough fight of love? He who dares the most, shall win the
   most; and if rough be thy path of love, tread it boldly, still loving
   thy neighbours through thick and thin. Heap coals of fire on their
   heads, and if they be hard to please, seek not to please them, but to
   please thy Master; and remember if they spurn thy love, thy Master hath
   not spurned it, and thy deed is as acceptable to him as if it had been
   acceptable to them. Love thy neighbour, for in so doing thou art
   following the footsteps of Christ.