July 2: Insight Post by Rusty Coram

  -   July 2, 2025

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself: The second part of the greatest commandment is to love others as we love ourselves. Jesus emphasizes that our love for God must flow into how we treat others, demonstrating that our relationship with God is reflected in our relationships with people.

Wednesday Verse

Owe nothing to anyone; except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. Romans 13:8 (NLT)

Wednesday Questions

How can I be more intentional about loving others as I love myself? In what ways can I show compassion and kindness to the people around me?

Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram

Years ago, a friend of mine (I didn’t ask Tim if I could use his name, so I won’t) said he was thinking about writing a book on healthy living. He said it would have two chapters, each with two words.

Chapter 1: “Eat Less”
Chapter 2: “Exercise More”

Simple. Understandable. Memorable. Effective.

Of course, many things can be added, like the types of foods and exercise, but the basic principles remain solid – especially in America.

When it comes to being healthy spiritually from a Christ-honoring perspective, Jesus put things in a similar format for us:

First, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind”
Second, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I am afraid that spirituality in America has become overly complicated, just like healthy living. We try to find shortcuts to make things easier, or we add all kinds of extra requirements that confuse. I’m not saying that living faithfully is easy; just that it isn’t something that requires elaborate schemes, education, or secret rituals.

Jesus gives us the foundation for living humble and God-honoring lives through two clear principles that we can and should use in every situation. Ask yourself: Is what I want to do an act of love for my Father? And is it showing true love for my neighbor?

Think about it for a moment…how might the world around you change if you and the people around you made these two questions the filter they used for all words and actions at home, work, school, and your neighborhood? Why don’t we give it a try and see?

Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org