“And the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’” – Mark 12:32-33
Of course Jesus is right! However, this unnamed scribe makes a vital point that drives home the truth of what Jesus just said. All the rule-following, self-discipline, religious practice, and appearances of holiness are worth nothing if we aren’t filled with, and consumed by, absolute love for God and love for others as we love ourselves!
In summarizing all of the Old Testament Law, Jesus makes clear that we need to be full of all-encompassing love for God. We need to love Him with every part of our being – all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Our brains, our hearts, our bodies must be fully devoted to love and worship of God. Knowledge, emotion, spirit, body – all devoted ceaselessly to loving God. Our love for God can’t just live in a single compartment of our lives (the church part), it must define our family life, work life, educational life, social life, and community life.
Our love for our neighbor must never be transactional or based on his or her worthiness of love. It can’t be based on how similar they are to us or whether they agree with us on matters of religion or politics. Our love for our neighbors must be endless, practical, and sacrificial – just as we love ourselves.
These two great loves (God and neighbor) are vastly more important to God than any of the outward practices of our faith. Do you live these loves every day and with greater zeal than you live pretty much anything else?