The Simple Command

I was reading my devotion and Mark 12:29 really stood out to me.

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: "Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.

And then he says

"The second is equally important: "Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”

He tells us that above all commands. Above all other commandments:

You shall have no other gods before me

You shall not make yourself an idol

you shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy

Honor your father and your mother

You shall not murder

you shall not commit adultery

you shall not steal

you shall not give false testimony against a neighbor

you shall not covet your neighbor's house

# 1 He tells us the {most} important command is to Love Him

# 2 equally important is to Love our neighbor

Reading it sounds so simple. . . Yes, I love you God!

God you are Great! Powerful! You bring Life! Go Jesus!

but. . . wait.

You want me to love my neighbor too?

Sure, Jesus! Right on, I can love my close friends and family I get along with! I can love that stranger and wave hi from across the street!

no. . . Jesus says. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying,

Love Betty. . . the one that cursed at you last week.

Love Susan. . . the one who made up rumors about you.

Love Patrick. . . the one that nobody likes.

Love Chloe. . . the one that caused you tremendous hurt.

Love Jimmy. . . the one that can't stand you.

Love them. . . the ones who aren't like you.

---

But you don't understand what they said, Jesus! How they made me feel! How much they hurt me.

A simple command, yet I struggle with every day. A simple command, yet we complicate it by saying "Lord, you don't get it. They hurt me. They broke me. They ruined my life."

Friends, I've been there. I know the struggle. I know the pain. I know the bitterness. I know the sadness.

But. . . no matter how hurt they made you feel. How angry they made you. How bitter you became.

We have to let go. . . and follow the simple command. We have to stop the "you don't understand" and cling to the "I understand your command in my life".

We have to go back to the basics. We have to turn away from making it complicated and do what he calls us to do through His word

"Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” Mathew 22: 37- 40

He tells us in Mathew 5: 46- 48 to not just love those that love us back, but he says "love your enemies, pray for them, pray for those who persecute you".