Love

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Read:

Mark 12:28-31


Reflect:

We (humans) love specifics, don’t we? We love clarity. That’s why, I think, the Pharisees had 613 rules in their law. Some applied only to men, some only to women. Some were positive (the ‘Thou Shalt’ commandments), others were negative (the ‘Thou Shalt Not’ kind). Some of them were very specific. Interestingly however, having more rules makes following them more complicated.

That’s why a Pharisee asked Jesus what the most important one was. Jesus boiled it down to two rules: Love God by loving your neighbour. That’s it. Simple enough, but really hard to do.

These two rules apply to each one of us personally. Love is a verb; it requires action. When we love, it shows. It manifests in some way.

The way I love God and my neighbour may not look the same as your love for God and your neighbour. Sometimes love looks like patience. Sometimes it looks like courage. Sometimes it has a smile. Sometimes it looks like a lot of work. And that’s okay, as long as we love sincerely and wholeheartedly.


Respond:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your love for me. Forgive me for the times I chose not to love you or those around me. Please help me live a life reflecting your love and glory to the world. Amen.


Remind:

“But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence. It's a love that operates more like a sign language than being spoken outright.”

~Bob Goff~


Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

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