The slash / means a stressed suitable, i.e. start on the up beat

*****

/”Love your neighbor as yourself”, as if he were your twin
An “other half”; a clone
A ‘spittin’ image’ kin

/Twins can feel the other’s pain from many miles away
They’re closer than “best friends”
They know what each will say

/Will we feel, with OUR own heart, our neighbor’s pain and loss?
Console, somehow, this “twin”
By helping bear his cross?

To “Love your neighbor as yourself”
See him as
Then treat him as
Your twin!

/”Love your neighbor as yourself” means as another “You”
As if sent back in time
Now here! Out of the blue!

/What if you decided to trade places with that “You”?
Would you want her to do
The best she could for you?

/You would know what THAT “You” needs: to eat, to learn, to live
Such things our neighbors lack
So may we seek to give!

To “Love your neighbor as yourself”
See her as
Then treat her as
Another “You”!

/”Love your neighbor as yourself” means plainly what it reads
But there is something greater
To urge us to love’s deeds

/Love him as if he were Christ! For he is Christ indeed
“The deeds you did for others
You truly did for me” (Mt 25)

/”Greater love has no one than to give one’s life for… friends” (Jn 15:13)
For foes, Christ gave His also
For sin, He made amends

To “Love your neighbor as yourself”

See him as

Then treat him as

Your twin

Another “You”

Or better yet

As Jesus Christ!