Love God…Love your neighbor

Love God…Love your neighbor. Sounds easy enough right? This scripture is not only the title verse of our ministry, but actually Jesus’s response in Matthew chapter 22. Choosing a verse for this ministry wasn’t easy (There is A LOT of good stuff in the Bible.) At the end of the day I chose this verse because I felt like if we can get these two things right then everything else falls into place. As simple as this may sound, there is actually a lot to unpack in these two seemingly simple commands.

This passage of scripture is found in Matthew chapter 22 and verses 37–39. These scriptures tell of an interaction between Jesus and the Saducees and Pharisees in which the religious leaders of the day are trying to trap Jesus by asking him the question; What is the greatest command? Verse 37 gives us the first part of Jesus’s answer. Jesus responds by telling those questioning him to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.(NIV)” What a beautiful and seemingly simple response. If we want to be effective as Christians shouldn’t it stand to reason that we love God more than anything and anyone else? As simple and honestly blunt as Jesus’s response was, it is honestly something I’ve wrestled with a great deal as a believer. Don’t misunderstand me. I love the Lord and have been blessed to have wonderful examples in my life of what putting God first looks like, as well as many first hand experiences of God’s provision. The thing about Jesus’s response and his earthly ministry in its entirety is he always tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Jesus makes it clear what loving God first actually looks like. He consistently instructs those who follow him that to do so will require significant sacrifice. Luke chapter 14 paints this instruction as clearly as any. In this passage Jesus tells those who wish to follow him that “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brother and sisters-yes, even their own life-such a person cannot be my disciple. (NIV)” At first glance this seems like a far cry from His answer to the greatest command. But is it really?

Can one truly “Honor their father and mother” and “Submit to their authority” if not for the primary purpose of loving God first and seeking to keep His commands? Can one “submit to his wife” without the example of Christ submitting to the will of His Father? Can one “train up a child in the way they should go” without the example of Christ? Can one “be his brothers keeper” without the image of the Lord washing his own disciples feet? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding NO! Religious scholars will point to the fact that Jesus’s response in Luke 14 is an example of dramatic imagery. He is not telling us to hate any of these people he has so graciously blessed us with, but rather instructing us to understand the simple fact that none of these relational gifts can be as fulfilling as loving and serving God first.

It is like I said in the beginning of this post. The first command was simple. Love God. Doing this will allow us to be a better son or daughter, a better husband or wife, father, mother, brother or sister. As we become better in each of these we will have the opportunity to reflect Christ’s love in each of these relationships.

We only made it through verse 37 in this post, so check back next week as we explore the second command in verse 39 to love our neighbor. Should be easy enough, right?