Love Thy Neighbor

Scripture asks us to love our neighbor. But some think love comes without labor. It's something we speak, Not something we seek. A fine cup of wine with no flavor. Declarations of love make me laugh. Without knowledge such words are just chaff. You say I love you, But that isn't true, 'Til you've traveled that ship, fore and aft. A neighbor is a gem in a box, Which is freely displayed without locks. But when you decide To not look inside, Your love goes no deeper than the box. It's the heart that defines who we are. And you cannot love that from afar. You have to dig in, Look under the skin, It takes patience to open that jar. Any love less than this is a lie, Just a superficial lullaby. When you won't connect, It's sung for effect, A performance arranged for the eye. In God's kingdom, would this be your goal - To have neighbors without heart or soul? Should we love your grace, Or only your face? For a love without depth isn't whole. If make believe love has sufficed, Then your love is improperly priced. Rewards one receives, Show what he believes, When such love has been offered to Christ. For as you've loved the least of His flock, Those empty faces there on your block, That's how you love Him, A name in a Hymn, It's a church built on mud, not on rock. So before He meets us at the gate, Learn this lesson before it's too late. Love's ultimate goal, To open the soul, Is a truth that determines our fate.