To truly love thy neighbour

By Daniel Francis

The second commandment states, “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt 22:37-39). This commandment has been living rent-free in my mind for the past few months. Why? The concept has become increasingly more difficult for me to grasp the more I think about it.

Now, hear me out for a moment. When I think about this commandment, a scenario plays in my head. I imagine the people in my life with whom I have had the worst experiences. These are people I would rather not run into. We all have them in our lives. I imagine the turbulent feelings I have towards them and then having to love them like I love myself. It honestly does not compute.

Recently, while thinking about this commandment, my mind went off on its own tangent, and I recalled a memory that I had not thought about in years. I don’t recall the exact setting, it may have been while I was in college, but we were all gathered listening to a faith-based speaker.

I remember his immediate vibe was a bit eccentric. He was a very bubbly fellow, full of energy and he seemed ready at any instant to hold you in a long conversation.

He started his talk by saying that he has not met us individually yet, but he can’t wait to do so, and he already knows he will love us all. Right out of the gate, I was very confused by this statement. How could he love us all?

He went on to say that he makes it his mission to love his neighbour. He went on to tell a story about a flight he took where he was seated next to a woman who was covered in tattoos and piercings. He explained that she did not look very approachable and that the average person may not have engaged her.

During the flight, however, they spoke, and he learned much about her life and experiences, and from his practice of learning to love his neighbour, he felt love for this woman, whom some may have avoided because of her appearance.

He said when they parted, he began crying as he often did, apparently, and called his wife to retell his experience. His wife was accustomed to this happening, it seemed and just listened as usual.

Listening to this at that time, I thought that he was a very strange guy. In the present, thinking about trying to embody the second commandment has me thinking that he may have been onto something.

From taking a position of love from the very start, he was able to bypass the guardrails that society encourages us to create. In doing so, he was able to truly open his heart to love others. I think he was able to achieve a depth of love that we should all be aspiring to.

I would love to achieve a level of loving my neighbour where I can even truly love those who have wronged me. I believe it will unlock something that God wants us all to experience.

So, what do you think? Was that man a bit too strange? Is this commandment of loving your neighbour as you love yourself truly unattainable for us? Or is it how we position our hearts and a daily practice that, once followed, we can eventually reach a level of love that is truly freeing?

Daniel Francis is a book publisher, leadership development coach, entrepreneur, and author of The Millennial Mind, The Millennial Experience, and How to Write and Self-Publish Your Book.

As the founder of One Momentum Publishing, he helps Caribbean authors move from manuscript to publication, guiding them through editing, design, and global distribution on platforms like Amazon, positioning them as authorities in their fields.

Through his work, Daniel equips individuals with the mindset and structure needed to turn ideas into impact.

LinkedIn: Daniel Francis

IG: o.m.publishing

Website: www.ompublishing.org

Email: info@ompublishing.org