The second greatest command is: Love your neighbor as much and in the same way as you love yourself. We are relational people who are called to intentionally build relationships.
Here are two quotes to help us think through more of what that means:
Compassion is born when we discover in the center of our own existence, not only that God is God and humans are human, but also that our neighbor really is our fellow human being.
–Henri Nouwen
Both words — intentional and relationship — are necessary. As with many dialogues, we swing back and forth on the pendulum. We either become so programmatic we lose sight of people and relationships. Or we become so purely relational that we don’t accomplish anything. And the place to be is not just in-between, but at both ends: both highly relational and highly intentional, with neither one watered down for the sake of the other.
–Bob Logan and Tara Miller
We must become people of compassion that truly care for and love our neighbors – the other people who share this planet with us. Not only must we be people of compassion, we must also be people of action who are highly relational with others (involved in their lives in a personal manner) and highly intentional about ministering to them and discipling them.
I pray that you are constantly looking for new people to begin a new relationship with – people with whom you can share more about your love for Jesus. And I pray that you will be intentional in thinking about how you can disciple them toward a deeper imitation of Jesus Christ.
Who is God putting on your mind for you to become highly relational and intentional with?