We are always told what not to do when it comes to the law and in rules to follow. Think about the commandments as examples; Don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t covet, don’t worship idols. All of these are obviously right actions and laws to follow, yet they are, as are most others, actions that we are to avoid as opposed to those we are to take.
Jesus was asked which of the commandment is the greatest and I find it amazing that His answer was not of those actions we are to not take, but those that we are to embrace and lead with.
“37And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)
Love the LORD and love your neighbor are the greatest and second greatest of the commandments. These actions are what we are to do and not to avoid. We are to love and go from there.
Lori has a former co-worker that had a rough incident and she and I met with him to offer our support. He had spent his whole life being pushed toward religion and resisted and continued to resist even today. We continued to present God’s love to him in our discussion and when we get together even now. But as a point of living the greatest commandments as stated by Jesus, we did not push him, we simply displayed love to him and did not shy away from showing him the love of God. His comment to us was that he loved and appreciated us right back thanks to our simple truth of loving him.
Where we landed with Lori’s coworker is the place where we should be landing every day. We are to love the LORD and love our neighbors. We are to display those actions daily and not shy away from them. We are to be truthful and demonstrate the love of God through our actions with others so that they can see that love, embrace it, and work to display it their own lives as they move forward. So here it is again as Jesus said:
“37And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Mathew 22:37-40 (ESV)
Love the LORD and Love your Neighbor.
What is your view as to what actions to do? Are you always looking at what to avoid as the going and best approach? What if you listened to and took the action that Jesus says, love the LORD and Love your Neighbor?
Trevor's Thoughts 