113 Bless Your Neighbor

You were created to be a channel of blessing in the lives of those around you, reflecting God's glory here on earth. Think about it, you have this incredible opportunity to make a real difference.

In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus gave us a powerful command: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" If you say you love God, but you don't love and bless your neighbor, something's not quite right. True love for God shows itself in how you treat others.

You can't say you love someone you can't see and then ignore the person standing right next to you. You're meant to be an extension of God's love wherever you go, with a generous heart, ready to lend a hand.

It's not just about words, it's about putting your faith into action. If you have the power to do good, do it! Remember, "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously" (2 Corinthians 9:6). Don't just focus on what you can get, but on what you can give.

Live out Jesus' words, bring joy to His heart, and be a blessing. Your purpose is to bring smiles and hope to those who need God most. Don't just work for your own benefit; remember you've been blessed to be a blessing.

The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.

But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?

Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing.

The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves.Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead.Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side.So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him.He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

May he increase your numbers, yours and your children’s!

How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps.And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.

Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.

And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure,

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him?If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food,and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it?So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.

Indeed, I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.

You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday.

It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.

Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

Do not withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.

Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”

Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.

No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.

So the crowds were asking him, “What then should we do?”John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.”

My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you.

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.

Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.

In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.

Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.

John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.”

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward.”

A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.

By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

The Lord protects those residing outside their native land; he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked.

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.

Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

May your loyal love console me, as you promised your servant.

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time of the day.One of them said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him.Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.)So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.)Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using his name.I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.”Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.So the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatantthat I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know.”The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord.Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it?Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord (although I am but dust and ashes),what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy the whole city because five are lacking?” He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”Abraham spoke to him again, “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”He said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant.

In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.

Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’

Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!

If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.And the commandment we have from him is this: that the one who loves God should love his fellow Christian too.

So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.

And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,

if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others.

so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,

I thank my God every time I remember you.since you are encountering the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing.I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of youbecause of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.

But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

She extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.

“If you encounter your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it to him.If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, but be sure to help him with it.

So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted than to share the spoils with the proud.

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another.If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it.

But give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.

Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,

Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people,

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people! Pay attention to me, when you deliver,So the Lord was angry with his people and despised the people who belong to him.He handed them over to the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.Their enemies oppressed them; they were subject to their authority.Many times he delivered them, but they had a rebellious attitude, and degraded themselves by their sin.Yet he took notice of their distress, when he heard their cry for help.He remembered his covenant with them, and relented because of his great loyal love.He caused all their conquerors to have pity on them.Deliver us, O Lord, our God! Gather us from among the nations! Then we will give thanks to your holy name, and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, in the future and forevermore. Let all the people say, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”so I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice along with your nation, and boast along with the people who belong to you.

I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!

When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban how he was related to him.

Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your disaster; a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.

Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble.

All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, and his children are blessed.

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble; may the God of Jacob make you secure!May he send you help from his temple; from Zion may he give you support!

As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved childrentrying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention.But all things being exposed by the light are made evident.For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says: “Awake, O sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!”Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise,taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil.For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is.And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit,speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord,and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints.

Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.

Praise the Lord! How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands.When the wicked see this, they will worry; they will grind their teeth in frustration and melt away; the desire of the wicked will perish.His descendants will be powerful on the earth; the godly will be blessed.

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow and I will give it,” when you have it with you at the time.

For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me!

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

They repay me evil for the good I have done; though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me.

So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.

Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works.

But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. God rules from his holy palace.

Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.

My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled. I say, “When will you comfort me?”

If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.

Brotherly love must continue.

“The Lord bless you and protect you;The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”’

But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.

Prayer