"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)
As Preacher Mike often says, "It' simple... but it's hard."
But what does this love look like? How do we love our neighbor?
Paul summed it up in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV), I'm putting in extra breaks so we can read it, slowly, and simply add the concept of "toward others" to bring the focus to how this relates to Jesus teaching.
"Love is patient, "toward others"
love is kind. "toward others"
It does not envy, "others"
it does not boast,"toward others"
it is not proud. "toward others"
It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking, "but thinks of others"
it is not easily angered,"toward others"
it keeps no record of wrongs. "by others"
Love does not delight in evil "toward others"
but rejoices with the truth."toward others"
It always protects "others"
always trusts, "others"
always hopes, "with others"
always perseveres."with others"
It's so easy these days to get caught up, and swept away, in a river of anger and hate. We forget what it means to love.
