Day 24: The greatest Commandment
9 March, Day 24: Mark 12, 28b-34
I always knew Christianity spoke about love and charity, but I had always taken it for granted. After all, in the real world, nice guys supposedly finish last, don't they? I mean if you are among the unlucky few who are working in a cut throat environment, then you'll probably question the application of "love and charity". But again, nobody said that wordly success would lead to inner joy and freedom. So, it depends on what your goals are, and what you are looking for in life.
Today's verse is from Mark 12, 28b-34:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
Thoughts: When Jesus was asked to pick the most important Commandments (handed down by Moses and the law of the time), he said the above in response.
Love God and love others.
This is the essence of Christian life. The core. One does not exist without the other - like two sides of a coin. Nothing else matters. You can do all the perfect things, go to church or read the Bible religiously or say a ton of prayers or "do" right, but all of those are rendered null and void in the absence of loving God and loving others.
Well, actually, now that I think about it, that seems to cover the rest of the Commandments too. I mean if you love God and other people, you will abstain from cheating, stealing, lying, envy, killing and the rest of the serious sins the commandments talk about.
Which just about makes it incredibly and impossibly hard to do. In fact, if you successfully do it all the time, then you're probably a saint and headed straight to the Good Place. So, in my limited capacity, my main takeaway is stated simply below.
Takeaway: Make an effort ot strive to love God and others.
I always knew Christianity spoke about love and charity, but I had always taken it for granted. After all, in the real world, nice guys supposedly finish last, don't they? I mean if you are among the unlucky few who are working in a cut throat environment, then you'll probably question the application of "love and charity". But again, nobody said that wordly success would lead to inner joy and freedom. So, it depends on what your goals are, and what you are looking for in life.
Today's verse is from Mark 12, 28b-34:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
Thoughts: When Jesus was asked to pick the most important Commandments (handed down by Moses and the law of the time), he said the above in response.
Love God and love others.
This is the essence of Christian life. The core. One does not exist without the other - like two sides of a coin. Nothing else matters. You can do all the perfect things, go to church or read the Bible religiously or say a ton of prayers or "do" right, but all of those are rendered null and void in the absence of loving God and loving others.
Well, actually, now that I think about it, that seems to cover the rest of the Commandments too. I mean if you love God and other people, you will abstain from cheating, stealing, lying, envy, killing and the rest of the serious sins the commandments talk about.
Which just about makes it incredibly and impossibly hard to do. In fact, if you successfully do it all the time, then you're probably a saint and headed straight to the Good Place. So, in my limited capacity, my main takeaway is stated simply below.
Takeaway: Make an effort ot strive to love God and others.
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