Matthew 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together, 35 and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question. “Teacher,” he asked, “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40 (GNT)
I have never been good at quoting scripture, or anything for that matter. I will remember the general gist of it, the lesson intended, but not word for word, and I cannot usually sight the exact source, book-chapter-verse(s). Likewise, I am often filling in my own words to songs, even songs I’ve heard many times, and it drives my husband crazy. He can hear a song once or watch a movie once, and instantly store it to his memory to be referenced and quoted at will.
But when it comes to our faith and the greatest commandment we are given, to love, I not only have it stored in my memory, I feel it deeply in my heart.
Loving comes naturally to me, though it’s not always easy. Our broken world definitely challenges us often and causes us to lose focus. It is important to remind ourselves regularly to lead with love in all we do. Jesus tells us in these verses that all the other commandments depend on us loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.
When I was younger, the acronym WWJD was popular, and myself and many of my classmates wore bracelets donning these letters. They represent the question, “What would Jesus do?” Similarly, in all scenarios, we can ask ourselves, “What would love do?” Jesus is love, and he came to us in this broken world to lead us by setting the perfect example. Now, it’s our turn to follow his lead and set good examples for others watching us!
Questions for Reflection:
- Who might be watching you that you want to set a good example for?
- The answer is always love. What questions have you been struggling with? What happens if you plug “love” in as your answer? Does it give you a sense of direction?
- What can you do to remind yourself of these verses regularly? Maybe it’s wearing a bracelet, writing and posting it somewhere you’ll see it often, a recurring alarm on your phone, etc.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to show us how to love, and thank you for your grace when we fail. Lord, please continue to remind us to love you above all else and to love others as we love ourselves. I pray that the world will know we are Christians by our love. Amen
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