Who Put a Potato In Your Hat?

“18‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.”
Leviticus 19:18

What is the opposite of “Love your neighbor as yourself?”
“Hate your neighbor as you hate yourself.”
Do you see any of that these days? How about in every news report, newspaper, or hourly update on the Web? You can’t throw a stone around here without hitting someone who is actively hating his neighbor as he hates himself. Go ask Israel.
But I’m not talking about you. You love yourself so much that you wish to preserve your life- for example, if you were on a sinking ship, a hundred yards from dry land, you would swim to the shore. No question.
But do you love yourself enough to care where you will end up in Eternity? Christians are often characterized as hateful when they mention Hellfire and damnation. As if we cherish the idea of you going to Hell.
Nothing could be further from the Truth. We have gained Heaven, not because we loved ourselves so much that we demanded entrance, but because Jesus Christ loved us so much that He made Heaven possible for us. And when He moves us to share the Gospel, we are motivated by His Love, not His hate. And that makes you my neighbor. As myself.