Loving Our Neighbor as Ourselves by MRS. IVA F. CADY

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 7, 1913

Loving Our Neighbor as Ourselves

By MRS. IVA F. CADY

MRS. IVA F. CADY

SOME mothers are exceedingly fond of their own children, and are willing to spend and be spent for them. They sacrifice their own ease and comfort and deny themselves of many pleasures that their children may be supplied with comforts and even luxuries. And it is right that we should love our children and give them the most tender care, for the Lord has given them to us to rear and to train for him; and, as the saying is, "Charity begins at home." But it should not end there. Our interests should reach out beyond the borders of our own home. We should not allow the home interests to occupy all our time and attention, for there are many children and youth in the world, and older ones, too, who have not wise parents nor loving friends to guide and protect them, as have our children, and who greatly need our help.

Some injudicious mothers seek to gratify every whim of their own children, and instead of reproving them, they overlook and excuse their faults, even when they have been very much in the wrong. When they are justly punished by the teacher in school, or have had trouble with other children, the mother justifies them in wrong-doing, thus doing them a great injury, as well as making the work of the teacher much more difficult.

The Christian mother should not be narrow-minded, but her heart should reach out to other children and young people besides those of her own household. The young are beset with many dangers in this age, and many of them are as sheep without a shepherd. We should take a friendly interest in those with whom we come in contact, and study and plan ways and means whereby we may reach their hearts and win them to Christ, or, if they are already Christians, then we should do what we can to encourage and help them in the Christian life. As mothers, let us teach our children, both by precept and example, to love their neighbors, and to cooperate with us, as we labor together with Christ in seeking to save his little ones.

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same." "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:31-33, 36.

If we really have the spirit of Christ, we shall have the same tender solicitude for others that Jesus expressed for the wayward children of Israel, when he said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Matt. 23:37.