By John Ogden Sr.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 22:36-40, NKJV).
Jesus summarized the law into two basic statements. One is to love God, and the other is to love your neighbor. We cannot effectively love our neighbors, family, or anyone else unless we have a right relationship with God. It is the love of God flowing through us that makes the difference. It is His love that compels us to go into the highways and byways. It is only through His love that we can love the unlovable. When our relationship and love for God is in balance, all the other commandments of God are taken care of.
When we possess true Biblical love, we will be steadfast in God’s calling, and we will not have a desire to go in the wrong direction. Our desire will always be to please Him. Then, and only then, can we love our enemies. This kind of love flowing through us will draw others into the presence of Jesus. It will cause them to desire to know the God we serve. 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV) sets everything in the right perspective: “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” May we continually seek God to remove the things of the world from us so that His love might clearly show through us.
