March 12 | Morning

12. Morning. You shall love your neighbour, Matthew, chapter 5, verse 43.

Love your neighbour, perhaps he rolls in riches, and you are poor, and living in your humble

dwelling next door to his mansion. Every day you see his estates, his fine clothes and

his extravagant parties. God has given him these gifts, cover it not his wealth, and think

no hard thoughts concerning him. Be content with what you have, if you cannot better it,

but do not look upon your neighbour and wish that he was like you. Love him, and then

you will not envy him. Perhaps on the other hand you are rich, and the poor live nearby.

Do not scorn to call them neighbours, admit that you are bound to love them. The world

calls them your inferior. In what way are they inferior? They are far more your equals

than your inferior, for he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the

face of the earth. Your clothes are better than theirs, but you are in no way better than

them. They are men, and what you more than that. Pay attention that you love your neighbour,

even though he be in rags or sunken in the depths of poverty. But perhaps you say, I cannot

love my neighbours, because no matter what I do for them, they respond within gratitude

and contempt. All the more reason for the heroism of love. Would you be a featherbed warrior

instead of bearing the rough fight of love? He who dares the most shall win the most,

and if the path of love is rough, tread it boldly. Still loving your neighbours through

thick and thin. Heap calls of fire on their heads, and if they are hard to please, do not

seek to please them, but to please your master. And remember, if they spurn your love, your

master has not spurned it. And your deed is as acceptable to him as if it had been acceptable

to them. Love your neighbour. For in so doing you are following the footsteps of Christ.