When Jesus commanded the rich young ruler to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 19:19), what did He mean by the words "as yourself"? And what did the apostle Paul mean when he repeated those words in Romans 13:9?

The statement by our Lord and by Paul is not a command to love ourselves more; it's a recognition that most of us already look after our own welfare in reasonable ways. That is, we love ourselves enough to feed and clothe ourselves, to keep a roof over our heads, and to avoid being cheated or injured. In practice, we should love our neighbor at least that much.

But there's more. In John 15:12, Jesus also commanded His disciples to love one another just as He had loved them. He used the Greek word agape, which signifies an active love that is unconditional, self-sacrificial, and for the good of others. This love is often more of a decision than an emotion. Author David Walls wrote, "We cannot command feelings, but we can command an active determination of our will."

Even when we don't feel love for someone, if we choose to show love our feelings will usually follow. Let's take the initiative to love our neighbor every day.  — Joanie Yoder