G.O.A.T.
Please turn to today’s reading Matthew 22:36-40. Again, we find two groups teaming up to ensnare Jesus. They ask, “What is the greatest of all commandments?” Categorizing them under the umbrella of love, He replied. “First love God and second love your neighbor as yourself.”
As we learn from the parable of the Good Samaritan, a neighbor is the person who responds to someone in need with genuine care regardless of class, religion, ethnicity or status as was highlighted in the parable. A neighbor shows compassion and mercy.
I think a part of why we struggle a bit with this text is because of our understanding of love. Read 1 Corinthians 13 to reacquaint yourself with the characteristics of love. The kind of love in which Jesus is speaking is hesod (Hebrew), extending goodness even when the other person is rebellious and agape (Greek) offering patience, grace and respect even in the most challenging of times. The Greeks and Hebrews understood that Jesus commanded to extend mercy and compassion especially when challenged, and that’s what we are called to do.
About now someone might be saying that’s not happening. Well, here is something to mull over, it is impossible to love God without loving others. In 1 John we read, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world . . . as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” He concludes by saying, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Mother Teresa said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” In Leviticus 19:18 we read “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.” When we love our neighbors, we treat others with the same care we would ourselves. Is there someone you need to love better? Let’s call this person “Agatha” (representing a person or a group). Maybe it’s the coworker who seems to catch the boss’s favor, the relative who appears to have it all together, or the one who blasts the music. Maybe “Agatha” wears unfamiliar clothes or speaks a different language than you. Possibly “Agatha” offers unsolicited advice that you find offensive. Who are you allowing to prevent you from fully loving? Who are your “Agathas”? Ask for God’s help. Where do you find yourself needing to put in some work? How can you love God and others more today than yesterday and even more tomorrow?
As you know, some people work holding grudges; harboring the hate and inciting others. This does not please God and it’s certainly not a good reflection on us as Christians. We need to make the effort into healing relationships. Pray and ask God to help you love without limit, judgment, and comparison.
As we read in Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Sometimes our hearts are sour, tainted, or numb. We need to try, pray for help, take steps to love with all our hearts. Our goal is not to be perfect, we will not achieve that this side of heaven, but our goal should be inching toward loving God more each day and others. Let’s resist temptation, forgive, extend grace, and strive to be a voice for the oppressed. This requires honest assessment, sincere effort, conversations with God and others. As we grow in grace, we will desire to live lives pleasing to God, and that too is an expression of our love.
Garth Brooks writes in one of his songs, the only answer to the problem is…People loving people…That's the enemy of everything's that's evil. Church, let’s be people loving people. We can choose to love today; we can choose to love every day. And all God’s people say, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Kerry
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