Love thy Neighbour. In what ways does love for one's neighbor manifest itself?

"Love thy Neighbour." This commandment known to every Christian, understandable at first glance, is not so simple. What are the manifestations of love for one's neighbor? What does it mean to "love your neighbor"?

Who can be called a neighbor?

The Bible and the Church give an exhaustive answer to this question. The nearest in the understanding of many people is the family, relatives, friends and so on. But what does Orthodoxy say about this? The Middle, the Orthodox Church affirms, is any person who has met on the way and who needs your help, attention, support.

In what ways does love for one's neighbor manifest itself? Who among us is ready to come to the aid of the first one as if he were a brother in front of him? These are very difficult questions. But try to get to the truth.

Is it possible to love everyone?

Understand and accept that according to God's plan each of us is no better and no worse than another, it is difficult. And to fall in love with your neighbor is even more difficult. And yet it is possible. Proof of this is the life on earth of Jesus Christ, who did not avoid a leper, a harlot, or a robber. It was the Son of God who showed people that it is possible and not burdensome to obey the commandments of the Heavenly Father while living on our planet. Someone will say that it was easier for Jesus, because he is the Messiah. And how, then, did the monks, the elders, the saints, who loved their neighbors and proved this by deed?

In what ways does love for one's neighbor manifest itself?

It seems there is nothing easier than to help a neighbor's grandmother bring a bag or take a certain amount of money to a needy neighbor. Perhaps this is the very act? Perhaps the love of the neighbor is to constantly take care of the eternal and temporary well-being of the other? This does not mean that actions aimed at help will be necessarily enjoyable. Everyone knows: useful is not always pleasant, and vice versa, what you like sometimes hurts. In the Holy Scripture there is a line that says that everyone should please his neighbor, for good, to edification. On this basis, in what ways does love for one's neighbor manifest itself? In those who are missed through the prism of respect, the desire to teach only the good, the righteous. Even punishing children and making people need comments, but with love. It is not difficult to do good, not connected with the sometimes unpleasant necessity of edification. And to punish or teach someone without negative emotions, preserving only love in the heart, this is the true manifestation of love for one's neighbor.

On the question of what actions show love for one's neighbor, to answer Definitely not. The main thing is that the actions were directed to the benefit of man, and not to harm. Peace to you and good!