Matthew 22:34-40 The Greatest Commandment

Jesus, when questioned by the Pharisees on the most important commandment, said it was love. Love your God and love your neighbor as yourself. This summary of the Law is significant because the Pharisees were very strict in the observance of the Law and had developed additional laws to help them apply it on a daily basis. The life of a Pharisee was heavily regulated by do's and don'ts, but was lacking in love. Love is the most important thing in life. Relationships are the foundation for everything in life.

To be sure, there is an order to the proper development of relationships. First, we are able to love God because he loved us first (1Jn.4:9) and he pours his love into our hearts by his Holy Spirit (Rom.5:5). Second, we are able to properly love others, even our enemies, when we are in relationship with our God because he is the source of true love. It is impossible for me to muster true love on my own strength. I need to come to the source to find the supply I need every day.

It is important to take notice of the kind of love Jesus is talking about . It is not the half-hearted politeness that I show most people. My love for God must be a fully devoted love with all my being: thought, affections, and will. Anything less than that falls short of true love. Love for God is exclusive; it cannot be shared with others. I cannot love God and money. I cannot love God and power. I cannot love God and "fill in the blank." Whatever competes with my full devotion to God makes my love less than genuine and becomes idolatry.

My love for my neighbor is qualified by my self-love. It is important to note that the Scripture assumes self-love and does not tell me that I have to work much at loving myself. Self-love is innate and automatic. I care for myself as I feed and preen my body every day. I do the best I can to care and protect myself. This is the way in which I am to love my neighbor. The Golden Rule sums it up for me: whatever I wish others would do to me I should do to them. This kind of love is not possible unless I am in a relationship with my God. On my own, I am selfish and arrogant.

Lord, I want to love you more each day. Pour out your love in me through your Spirit. Fill me to overflowing that I may also love my neighbor as myself.