To correct the evils, great and small, which spring from want of sympathy, and from positive enmity, among strangers, as nations, or as individuals, is one of the highest functions of civilization.
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) American lawyer, politician, US President (1861-65)
Speech (1859-09-30), Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Milwaukee
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/lincoln-abraham/7808…
If we save the least of us, we will save all of us.
If we don't, we will all die here ignominiously.
A quotation from Josh Billings
He who don’t luv himself vents hiz spleen bi hating everyboddy else.
[He who doesn’t love himself vents his spleen by hating everybody else.]
Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 281 “Variety: Bred and Butter” (1874)
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/billings-josh/77758/
Loving your neighbor means stepping out of your comfort zone and noticing those in need. Through games, prayer, and honest discussion, teens learn that small acts—like listening and showing compassion—reflect God's love. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise,” encouraging everyday kindness over grand gestures. Let’s see the world through God’s eyes and spread love and mercy every day. 
#LoveYourNeighbor #GoodSamaritan #EverydayKindness #YouthLessons https://young-catholics.com/70730/good-samaritan-lesson-plan/
“We did not seek this predicament, but God calls us to place the most vulnerable & marginalized at the center of our common life, and we must follow that command regardless of the dictates of any political party or earthly power. We are now being faced with a series of choices between the demands of the federal government and the teachings of Jesus, and that is no choice at all.”
#EpiscopalChurch #Episcopalians #PresidingBishop #Resistance #LoveYourNeighbor #WayOfLove
The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.
It is not love of self but hatred of self which is at the root of the troubles that afflict our world.
Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 100 (1955)
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/hoffer-eric/23442/
But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’
Jesus replied, “A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side.
“But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said ‘and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.’
“Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands` hands?”
“The one who took pity on him” he replied.
Jesus said to him, “Go, and do the same yourself.”
The Bible (The New Testament) (AD 1st - 2nd C) Christian sacred scripture
Luke 10: 29-37 [JB (1966)]
Sourcing, notes, other translations: wist.info/bible-nt/39770/
Albert Barnes, Presbyterian minister, comments on idea humans made of one blood (Acts 17:26), and equal in the matter of salvation. Human philosophies set up favored ranks by blood. Any equality that seeped in came from Christianity.
Do we turn to Genesis for arguments about geology, or humanity? Would you want that refugee family bringing their kids to your Sunday School?
How can you live out “one blood”?
Jesus' self sacrificing spirit is a tough act to follow. But his whole souled service toward others ~ motivated by God's love, is the basis for our faith.
Every act of caring, kindness & encouragement toward our family, friends, neighbors & strangers ~ shows that we're becoming more & more like our lord, Jesus
#ChristianFaith 
#ChristianLiving #AGAPE #LOVElikeJesus #LoveYourNeighbor
The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection, that one is sometimes willing to commit sins for the sake of loyalty, that one does not push asceticism to the point where it makes friendly intercourse impossible, and that one is prepared in the end to be defeated and broken up by life, which is the inevitable price of fastening one’s love upon other human individuals. No doubt alcohol, tobacco and so forth are things that a saint must avoid, but sainthood is also a thing that human beings must avoid.
George Orwell (1903-1950) English writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1949-01), “Reflections on Gandhi,” Partisan Review
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/orwell-george/76640/
Every man takes care that his neighbor shall not cheat him. But a day comes when he begins to care that he do not cheat his neighbor. Then all goes well. He has changed his market cart for a chariot of the sun.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1860), “Worship,” The Conduct of Life, ch. 6
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/emerson-ralph-waldo/…
The principle underlying every society is justice, for yourself and for others. If you are to love your neighbour as yourself, neighbour as yourself, it’s only fair to love yourself as much as you love your neighbour.
[Le principe de toute société est de se rendre justice à soi-même et aux autres. Si l’on doit aimer son prochain comme soi-même, il est au moins aussi juste de s’aimer comme son prochain.]
Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794) French writer, epigrammist (b. Nicolas-Sébastien Roch)
Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionée], Part 1 “Maxims and Thoughts [Maximes et Pensées],” ch. 5, ¶ 321 (1795) [tr. Parmée (2003), ¶ 205]
Sourcing, notes, alternate translations: wist.info/chamfort-nicolas/756…
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) Indian philosopher and nationalist [Mahatma Gandhi]
Letter (1947-08-29) to Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/gandhi-mahatma/75303…
A quotation from Robert Louis Stevenson
What an art it is, to give, even to our nearest friends! and what a test of manners to receive! How, upon either side, we smuggle away the obligation, blushing for each other; how bluff and dull we make the giver; how hasty, how falsely cheerful, the receiver! and yet an act of such difficulty and distress between near friends, it is supposed we can perform to a total stranger and leave the man transfixed with grateful emotions. The last thing you can do to a man is to burthen him with an obligation, and it is what we propose to begin with! But let us not be deceived: unless he is totally degraded to his trade, anger jars in his inside, and he grates his teeth at our gratuity.
We should wipe two words from our vocabulary: gratitude and charity. In real life, help is given out of friendship, or it is not valued; it is received from the hand of friendship, or it is resented.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1888-03), “Beggars,” sec. 4 Scribner’s Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 3
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/stevenson-robert-lou…
You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.
[Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη, “Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου” καὶ μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου. ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν διωκόντων ὑμᾶς, ὅπως γένησθε υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους.]
The Bible (The New Testament) (AD 1st - 2nd C) Christian sacred scripture
Matthew 5:43-45 [JB (1966)]
Sourcing, notes, alternate translations: wist.info/bible-nt/15310/
