Day 3: Love Your Neighbour as Yourself (25th July)

 

The Reading Today

• Daily Theme: Love Your Neighbour as Yourself
• Source Material: Mere Christianity

My Reflection

Today’s passage from Mere Christianity tackles one of the most difficult Christian duties: forgiveness and loving our enemies. I wrestled a bit with the complexities here, but one of Lewis’s key observations resonated deeply with me.

Lewis writes:

"Love your neighbour does not mean 'feel fond of him' or 'find him attractive'... I ought to have seen that before, because, of course, you cannot feel fond of a person by trying."

This echoes so many times in my own life where I have struggled and tried in vain to "like" someone whose behaviour or actions I fundamentally disagree with. It is such a relief to realise that love isn't about manufacturing an emotion.

Lewis explores the old aphorism "hate the sin, but not the sinner." He admits that he used to think this was a silly distinction, until he realized he treated himself this way every day. He writes:

"...I do not think myself a nice man, but I know that I am a very nasty one... So apparently I am allowed to loathe and hate some of the things my enemies do."

We can loathe bad actions—both in ourselves and in others—without wishing destruction on the person. True love isn't warm feelings; it is wishing for a person's ultimate good and reformation, no matter how nasty their actions may be. 

Why This Matters

Separating a person's worth from their repulsive actions feels almost impossible in a polarised world. However, Lewis's insight frees us from the guilt of not "liking" everyone. We aren't required to feel affection for people who do harm; we are simply called to desire their cure rather than their destruction.

My Action for Today

Today, when I encounter someone whose actions or views I find loathsome, I will stop trying to force myself to "like" them. Instead, I will focus simply on wishing for their good and treating them with basic human decency.

Reader Question

Have you ever felt guilty for not "liking" someone you felt you were supposed to forgive? How does Lewis’s distinction between affection and goodwill change your perspective? Let me know in the comments below!