MATTHEW 22:34-40
Have you ever felt clogged up by rules and expectations? I wonder how the Jewish people must have felt as they tried to keep up with all the rules in the old testament (some scholars who have taken the pains to count them claim they are more than six hundred rules) and many more that had been imposed on them by the religious leaders of their day. I also visualise their surprise when Jesus simplified the chasing of righteousness by narrowing the list down to just two – love the Lord your God (Matt. 22:37) and love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:39).
In essence, the way God knows we love Him is by how we relate with people. Not just some persons, but everyone.
The truth is that loving our neighbours can be challenging. But when we do it to show our love for God, we release a powerful motivation that loves whether the person deserves it or not. And as we love God and our neighbours, everything else falls into place. If we love our neighbours, we will not bear false witness against them, steal from them, etc. Loving others also provides the grace and strength to forgive those who have wronged us.
Somebody needs to see God’s love today through us. Let us let them know we love God and love them too.
* Lord Jesus, help us to keep Your two rules, so we can fulfill every other rule… This we ask in Your matchless Name. Amen.
