February 3, 2026 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Proverbs

Proverbs 14:20  The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. 21  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

The word of God gives a very clear and pointed admonition when it comes to the treatment of our neighbour. Loving the neighbour begins with loving God first.

Mark 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Loving your neighbour must come from a genuine love for God; to have the love of God is to be born again. How can one not hate his neighbour or forgo despising his neighbour if all he or she has is a worldly love?

1John 4:20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Most of the time our love for our neighbour stems from what we can get from them or the way they treat us, if we get nothing or if we are treated indifferently  we reject our neighbour and despise them.

Matthew 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Remember, people treated the Lord in the most wicked ways and He still gave His life for them.

Sometimes our relationship with our neighbour stems from our evaluation of them when we think we are better than they are we tend to despise them.

2Corinthians 10:12  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Proverbs 14:20  The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. 21  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

We find a good example of what it means to forgo hate and disdain in Luke’s gospel.

Luke 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Romans 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Galatians 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Ephesians 4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Who is your neighbour? Your neighbour is any person around you. The people you work with, live near, and yes, Men, your wife is your neighbour and Ladies, your husband is your neighbour, Parents, your children are your neighbours. We are all good at being king to those outside of our home, but, behind closed doors it may be a different story.

James 2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Remember, Jesus died for everyone including you.

The choice is still yours,

Pastor Cook