Monday, March 30, 2026

Top Two Commandments

 

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing and recognizing that He (Jesus) had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is foremost of all?”

Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’”

“The second is, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31

Imagine that, we are to love God and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Two simple commandments.  The first is easy but the second is difficult for us.  We all have people we do not like, yet God commands us to love them.  

I think what God has in mind is that good human relations result in a better world.  It is a tall order, but as we strive to love those who we don't like, we show those people and those around us the true meaning of being a Christian - not being right, but being humble and acknowledging that all people deserve to be loved and cared for.  

So, when someone rubs us the wrong way, instead of lashing out we can choose to say nothing or simply acknowledge their feeling and move on with hurling mean words.  

 

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