Vazquez Counseling

God calls us to love one another.

Today I posted the following blog on another platform. I received a lot of positive feedback, so I thought I’d post this here on my website,as well. As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

Here, then, is what posted on the other platform:

Dear Neighbors, there is a lot of back and forth happening on forums like this about what is going on in the world right now. First, I want to say that everything that is happening right now was predicted by our LORD Jesus and many of the Biblical writers. Jesus Himself warned us that in the last days there would be wars and rumors of wars, that nation would rise against nation, that there would be lawlessness throughout the world (riots, and I would even say the massive fraud that we’re uncovering), that there would be earthquakes in various (or unusual) places, that there would be pestilences (covid), that the love of many would grow cold, and that people would have an irrational hatred for each other. Our LORD warned us that when these things begin to happen, to look up because it means that our redemption draws near.

I would say that despite all that is happening in the world, there is great hope. First, our great KING is returning (Revelation 19:11-16). When Christ returns, He will wage a just war, and He will destroy His enemies. He will set everything right, and He will bring Paradise to earth. He will heal all of our infirmities, and He will wipe away every one of our tears. In Isaiah 9:6-7, our Messiah is called Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Wonderful, Counselor, and the beautiful title of Prince of Peace. For His people, He will the kindest, most gentle and loving KING we would ever want to have.

And there are also some instructions that Jesus left for us, and I’m talking specifically to all of our neighbors on this forum. In Mark 12:28-31, a scribe asked Jesus which commandment is first of all. Jesus answered, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (from the New King James Version)

The word “neighbor” in this passage literally means those who are near you. Jesus is speaking directly to all of us, especially on forums such as these, a forum that quite literally bring all of our neighbors together. We are to love each other, despite our political differences and our religious differences, despite any of that. So when you engage with anyone on this forum, remember Christ’s words, and do it with respect, kindness, and above all, love.

Later, I had to clarify what I meant by saying that our neighbors are those who are near to us. Someone challenged me, saying that our neighbors are not only the people who live nearby. I agreed with them. I explained that the word “neighbor” in the original Greek is the word “plēsion,” which literally means those whom God has placed near us, not just in proximity, but all those He has placed in our sphere of influence. God exhorts us to love the people He has placed near our hearts. Amen.