Hello fellow humans.
I used to think I knew the Bible. I was often the first pick for Bible Jeopardy in Sunday School so I figured that meant I had it down, that I understood all it had to offer. That was pretty cocky for a 10-year old, let me tell ya.
The following decade or so proved otherwise. I had missed some of the essential lessons. Nowadays, I like to focus on the words from the mouth of Jesus. It would only make sense to really hone in on what Christ was telling us if I am trying to be a Christian, no?
It only takes a cursory glance at the Gospels to see what the focus of Jesus's ministry was: love. Over and over again, Jesus cites love as what is most important. Matthew 22: 34-40 tells us that love in two forms is the most important commandment we are given:
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
When pressed by the Jewish leaders, Jesus didn't say the most important thing was to make sure you paid your taxes or that you go to Temple every Saturday. He told us to love. First, love God, which admittedly contains a multitude of things to consider. Second, love your neighbor. Simple as that. No caveats attached. No "love your neighbor when convenient," or "love your neighbor when they agree with you," or "love your neighbor when they are nice to you." There was no qualifier attached.
Additionally, some of my favorite words from Jesus include this passage from John 15:
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Jesus calls Christians to lay down their lives (like he eventually would) for their friends. And continues to push his disciples to love one another. Love, man.
I don't have anything truly enlightening to add so I leave it at that for now.
2021 Resolution Tracker
Moses Miles Walked: 43.9 miles
Books Read: 2
Completed: The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons review here
Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller review here
Bible Progress: Deuteronomy 29
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