Jesus was once asked what was the greatest of all commandments. He said that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. He said that there there was another second commandment that was also very important. He told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our Proverb today gives us instruction along this line. Proverbs 11:12 states, "One who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a person of understanding keeps silent. "
We should most certainly follow the instruction of Jesus and love our neighbor. We should seek what is best for others and try to do as much good as we can for those whom we know. We have the word from the Lord that tells us to do unto others as we would have done to us.
I think that this Proverb is going a little beyond that. If a person has a disagreement with his neighbor, it can lead to a lot of problems. If you have a poor relationship with those who live in close proximity to you, it can make for a stressful life. Sometimes, a neighbor may do something that is a little annoying. However, it is often the best course to remain silent if possible in order not to get trouble started.
There is another consideration that this Proverb brings to my mind. If you have a good relationship with your neighbors, they can often help you out a lot when you need help. One of my neighbors is especially nice and he will mow my lawn when it gets really hot and humid because he knows that that kind of weather affects my asthma. Thankfully, in my area, we have a lot of neighbors that really try to help each other out. It is important to keep positive relationships with others when it is within our power to do so.
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