“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 12:33
There are many good, helpful, and important spiritual and religious practices. These bless believers and deepen their walk with the Lord. However, they are of little value if your heart is in the wrong place. God is far more concerned with your inward heart condition than your outward practice of Christianity. Do you, in fact, love the Lord with all of your being? ALL of it? Do you, in fact, love your neighbor as yourself? ALL of them?
We love to make the teachings of Jesus complicated in order to avoid difficult yet simple truths. Jesus said that heart obedience can be summarized by these two whole-hearted loves. Today, take a few moments to consider your love for the Lord and how it splits time with other loves in your life. Do you genuinely love the Lord more than you love anyone, anything, and everything else? Do you love Jesus with your whole mind? Do you love Jesus with your whole heart? Do the actions and commitments of your body reflect undivided love for Jesus?
Then consider whether you actually love all your neighbors as you love yourself? As you would like to be loved? Your neighbor who doesn’t look or sound like you? Who doesn’t share your background, politics, hobbies, or interests? Do you love them or do you tolerate them? Do you love them or do you avoid them? Do you love them or do you resent them? Do you love them or does your blood boils when you see them? Do you love them to the same extent and in the same manner as you love yourself??? That’s the standard Jesus gave!
The answers to these questions, Jesus says, are more important than all your visible, public displays of faith in the Lord. Consider that very carefully, especially in our confused, angry, selfish, divided world. #FollowJesus