How hard is it to love your neighbour as yourself? How hard is it to love a neighbour who gives you a lot of grief? When asked in Matthew what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said that loving your neighbour was second only to loving God. In the hierarchy of things, that makes it both important and essential to the life of a Christian.

By neighbour, Jesus meant anyone other than yourself, not just a physical neighbourhood neighbour. And there were no caveats - your neighbour might be delightful or they might be ghastly (and everything in between) but you are still required to love them, as yourself. To love yourself does not imply any kind of narcissism, rather, the self-care and self-interest we afford ourselves, which is central to how we function.

I have a physical neighbour who has been a great source of anxiety and grief. It is very hard to think kindly of her and not remember the many unwarranted intrusions and accusations she has made upon us. Most recently we have all been Sent to Coventry without the slightest provocation. I don't mind the silence or the pointedly turned away head, but my job as a Christian is to love her.

It is hard, I tell you. Only by the grace of God can I achieve it. Only.