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What is it about people that we focus on who or what is the greatest? Sports fans will debate who was the greatest player, the greatest team or the greatest draftee. Film buffs love to discuss their list of the greatest films. Others focus on the greatest books, or songs, or sculptures, or automobiles. You know, this is good way to have a conversation. Just ask people who or what they think is the greatest on a particular topic. Opinions are sure to follow!
Even Jesus’ apostles wanted to know which of them was the greatest. But that’s another story. Today, let’s look at the question posed to Jesus by a religious scribe. He wanted to know what was the greatest command in God’s law. Jesus replied in Mark 12:30-31 by giving him not the first command, but the top two. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”(NIV)
This reminds us that love is not a feeling, it is action. It is the devoted action to put the interests of another before our own. Pursuing God’s interests with our entire being — that is loving God. After loving God, we must also love our neighbor. I think, Jesus’ list of the greatest commands wins, don’t you?
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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.