Two rules to live by

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. — Matthew 22:40

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by rules and expectations? Think of how the Jewish people must have felt as they tried to keep up with more than 600 rules from the Old Testament and many more that had been imposed on them by the religious leaders of their day. And imagine their surprise when Jesus simplified the pursuit of righteousness by narrowing the list down to just two — “love the LORD your God” (Matt. 22:37) and “love your neighbor as yourself” (v.39).

In essence, Jesus is telling us that the way God knows we love Him is by how we treat people. All of them. Let’s face it — loving our neighbor can be a challenge. But when we do it to express our love to God, we unleash a powerful motivation that loves whether the person deserves it or not. And as we love God and our neighbor, everything else falls into place. If I love my neighbor, I won’t bear false witness against him, covet his wealth or his wife, or steal from him. Loving others for God’s sake even provides the grace and strength to forgive those who have heaped injustices upon us.

Who needs to see God’s love today through you? The more unlovable the person, the greater the statement about how much you love God! -- Joe Stowell

To love your God with all your heart,

Your soul, your strength, your mind,

Enables you to love someone

Who’s hurtful and unkind. — Sper  

READ: Matthew 22:34-40

Loving God is the key to loving others.

The Bible in one year:

• 1 Kings 12-13; Luke 22:1-20