If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  James 2:8

Isn’t it interesting that this verse assumes we already love ourselves? God doesn’t have to instruct us to love ourselves. He knew that we would do that naturally.  Yet, “the royal law” tells us to put our neighbor into the spot we usually reserve for ourselves; to treat our neighbor the way we want to be treated. This law reflects the nature and character of God.  And if you think about it, if we could just follow this one rule, we wouldn’t need any other laws. There would be no envy, lust, jealousy, anger, materialism. If we obeyed this royal law, we would be living like royalty—set apart. 

When you are trying to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ, first make sure you’re doing all you can to follow the royal law. No book or Bible study will do more for your spiritual maturity than doing all you can to love your neighbor as yourself.

Dear Lord, I thank you for revealing your royal law to me. I pray right now that you would help me to look for ways to live that out every day. Help me to look to the needs of others and to show others the love that you have shown me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.