Psalm 10 - Love this Neighbor?

“For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless. He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, He has hidden his face, He will never see it.” Psalm 10:3, 7-8, 11

My neighbor is a liar. He is also prideful, arrogant, boastful, and greedy to gain whatever his heart desires. My neighbor believes that there is no God, but beyond just thinking it, he preaches it, glad in his blasphemy and scoffing. As a result of these chosen ingredients, my neighbor's life is steeped in stubborn arrogance as he deals with those around him. His mouth is filled with foul language, cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue lie mischief and inequity, ready to surface as soon as his mouth is opened. He murders the innocent in his mind as he is readily and willing to abuse them for his own personal gain. And in all of this, my neighbor, in his ultimate doubt of God, says that He can do it all because God will not see it and is helpless to do anything about it.

Of course this is not my real neighbor, but the neighbor king David writes about in Psalm 10. But regardless of location or time, hearts like this still beat today. In fact, the world is full of them. And if it just so happened that a neighbor like this moved in next door to you, how exactly is it that you are to love them as all Christians are commanded? As difficult (or impossible) as it may seem in its execution, it is rather simple in its concept. We love them because Christ first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Psalm 10 is real. David is not merely creating this vivid picture of his neighbor from imagination or third party heresay, he is describing real lives. And not just one life, but many that surround him. David sees their iniquity, he sees their abuse of others, and above all, he sees the way they challenge the righteousness of God in their blatant, prideful (read as selfish) actions. And as a result of Psalm 10, we are allowed to revisit one of the biggest conundrums that face Christ-following believers today…how do you truly show Godly love to the evil, wicked people that inhabit this planet?

As you look across your street and question (read as judge) the actions, speech, and worship tendencies of your mean ol’ neighbor, you first have to start by taking a long look in the mirror that hangs in your own house. And as you do, apply one of my favorite sayings on the judgement and correction of others, “if you can spot it, you got it.” As you, maybe even correctly, assign your neighbor the label of liar, ask yourself, have you ever lied? Or as you quickly identify that your neighbor’s pride and arrogance are off the charts, ask yourself, have you ever been guilty of the same to others? And as you continue down the list of grievances that your neighbor is guilty of, you must end with one final question of yourself…were you acting in this manner before Christ redeemed your soul?

You see, the redeeming salvation of Jesus Christ grants us the anointing of His Holy Spirit which then changes our very being. Becuase of Christ we are new creatures indeed (2 Cor 5:17). And because we are new creatures in Christ and have therefore shed our old behaviors, new Christ-like ones emerge. So, as you carefully analyze, criticize, and condemn your neighbor’s actions, ask yourself this, does he or she know Jesus? And if the answer is no or I don't know, have you ever told them about Jesus? You see, we can’t expect the world to act as if they know God when they don’t. And how can a world full of mean ol’ neighbors know about eternal salvation in Jesus Christ if someone doesn’t tell them the way to know Him?

Today, you are called to love your neighbors. All of them. Regardless of how they act, how they treat you, or how they treat others. For there was more than likely a time where you were treating others the same, yet someone loved you enough to share the lifesaving gospel of Jesus Christ with you. You see, we love because Jesus first loved us. And while we were still rebellious, stiff-necked, debaucherous sinners, He died for us to pay the penalty for each and every one of those sins. And it is in this, the greatest love the world has ever known, that we tell all about the love of Christ.

Today, share the love...share the love of Jesus with the world across your street.

Blessings ~ Dan

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:14-15

el camino estrecho (the narrow way) Val'Quirico, Puebla, Mexico