Callum had been saving his allowance for weeks, tucking away each crumpled dollar with the quiet excitement of a kid who finally felt old enough to make his own choices. He’d planned to split it in half—keep some, give some—maybe to one of those charities for people in faraway countries he saw on TV. But when the first big March snowstorm hit and he saw Mrs. Halvorson’s walkway buried under a heavy drift, the idea came to him as naturally as breathing. She was nearly eighty, lived alone, and always waved to him from her window. Helping her felt like the right place for his “give‑away” half to go.
So Callum marched into the hardware store, allowance clutched in his mittened hand, and bought a brand‑new snow shovel—bright red, sturdy, and just his size. That afternoon he trudged across the street and started clearing Mrs. Halvorson’s walk, pushing the snow aside in long, determined sweeps. When she opened the door to thank him, Callum just grinned and said he was putting his savings to good use.
The second part of the Great Commandment, after loving God completely, is to love your neighbor as yourself. What does that mean, and how do you do that?
Who is your neighbor? Well, your neighbors are those close to you—people you see every day, your family, and your community.
The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
It’s the same as saying, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Golden Rule.
Try some of these ideas in your daily life to practice loving and giving to others.
- First thing in the morning, think of one nice thing you’re going to do for someone you see every day, and then do it.
- Pray for a growing heart to love others, not a growing bank account. Pray for a shiny new heart, not a shiny new car.
- Let someone else get in front of you in line if they need to.
- Smile at folks, even if you don’t feel like it.
- Listen more than you talk; that’s why God gave you two ears and only one mouth.
- Tell your mom and dad, and your sister and brother how much you love and appreciate them.
- Shovel snow off your elderly neighbor’s sidewalk.
Kindness and Forgiveness
To love your neighbor as yourself can be hard sometimes, but it’s always simple. The Apostle Paul puts it clearly in his letter to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Love God completely and treat others as you would like them to treat you. This is the not-so-secret key to plugging into God’s forever plan right now.
