"Who hindered you from obeying the truth?"

     Love your neighbor as yourself. We've all heard this. Even if we didn't grow up in a Christian home you know this. Mother's were oh-so persistent in reminding us to treat others the way we want to be treated. So, growing up, we were forced to share toys and use pleasant words. Some of us even twisted our parents' own words against them and reminded them during our punishments, they were not practicing what they were preaching. Then, some of us realized the difference between loving our neighbors and treating others fairly.
     However, at some point in our adolescent years, we lost sight of either saying and didn't always love our neighbor. Now, in my 20s, I've become more like my parents and have become frustrated with those who do not love their neighbors as themselves. I hear those talk disrespectfully to store associates when they don't get the answer they want, I pick up trash from those who throw it out near our driveway, I watch insincere interactions between a prideful being and an insecure one. I become angry with those who claim to be a Christ follower, who claim to bear their cross, but forget that the whole law is fulfilled in this one thing:

Love your neighbor as yourself.

     This month back home has been a hard one for me. For whatever reason, God has put obstacles in my life that I haven't had in quite sometime. I've allowed others' voices speak louder to me than His, I have doubted His plans for me and doubted the work He has invested in me. I've let insecurities, selfishness and pride cloud my thoughts while idly watching God pound His fists on the walls of the box that I've put Him in. But during this entire time, I was still loving my neighbor as myself.
      I was speaking disrespectfully, halfheartedly investing, insincerely interacting with others, I was loving my neighbor as myself, and that was the problem.
     I wasn't loving myself as God does. I think that's a lot of our problem. I don't think people intentionally not-love their neighbors, I think people accidently not-love themselves. I know God loves me, but being told that since Awana wasn't the key to success. I had to remind myself, I had to humble myself, and allow God to remind me how He loves me, how He loves others and how I need to love those others as well.
     To God, I am:
a new man created in righteousness (Eph. 4:12)
Not my own (1 Cor 6:19)
An obedient child (1 Peter 1:14)
Precious (Isaiah 43:4)
Pure (Matt 5:8)
Triumphant in Christ (2 Cor 2:14)
Healed (Isaiah 53:4-5)
Humbled (James 4:10)
Justified (Romans 5:9)
Known by God (Gal 4:9)
Loved
     God cares for me, and in return I need to care for others. Before you check "Loving your neighbor" off your Christian to-do list today, read Galatians 5:1-15 and continually seek God about who you are to Him. For the whole law can be fulfilled in this one thing.