On this Memorial Day, we pause to remember those who have given their lives in the service of our country. It is a good day for us to examine the third, outermost circle in this series about love.

The innermost circle represents our love for God. The second circle expands our focus to a larger community of loving “one another,” followers of Jesus loving other followers of Jesus, well.

Our third, even more expansive circle is filled with the concept of loving our neighbor. At first, this might sound like a narrower focus, but when we come to understand the concept of who is our neighbor, we learn circle this includes Every. Single. Human. Being. Love your neighbor includes but is not limited to those who live in the same housing development. It includes but is not limited to those who live in the same city. Your neighbor is both individual and all-inclusive at the same time, and it transcends borders, ethnicities, circumstances, and prejudices.

In fact, I go so far as to say that the understanding of who your neighbor is involves being completely counter cultural. If history teaches you that someone is on the list for you to hate, that is the someone that you are specifically called to love.

Jesus teaches us this concept in his parable commonly referred to as The Good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25-37). Historically, Jews and Samaritans hated each other. There were differences in religious beliefs, ethnic purity claims, etc. that led to generations of bad blood. Jesus tells the story of a Samaritan man who showed mercy to a wounded and dying Jewish man, after fellow Jews had failed to bother themselves with his needs.

We do not need to use much imagination to find multiple examples of the same kinds of relationships that suffer in our world today. Your call is to love (show mercy to; bother yourself with the need of) each & every person no matter how much alike or different from you. People with different religious beliefs, different ethnic backgrounds, different views on major issues, and (let those who have ears to hear, hear) those who sin differently than you. These are your neighbors.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. Love one another by laying your life down for them. Love your neighbor (everyone) as yourself. These three concentric circles of love will ensure a life of peace in your spirit. And peace in your spirit enables you to live joyfully in a world where actual peace is hard to find.