This past year, the world witnessed unrest between Israel and Palestine. At the height of the conflict, several countries called for a ceasefire. I, like many of you, saw the devastation, contributed funds, signed petitions, and showed up to protests. 

In this passage, Jesus prioritizes loving God and his neighbor because of the hierarchical social structure that favors some. When we consider loving our neighbor (brother/sister) as ourselves, it is imperative that we remove the emphasis on our needs, what our love languages are, or how we can benefit. Phileo, a brotherly/sisterly love, is not self-centered, but thrives on empathy and consideration of others. 

To be a good neighbor, we should seek to understand how our neighbors (brothers and sisters) receive and need to be loved. For someone, that may be a simple hello, acknowledging their existence; for a sister, it may be a few dollars to get a meal; to a brother, it may be a listening ear; for a child, it may be advocating for their wellbeing, and to another, it could mean that you show up on the frontline to protest the actions of governments.