The Old Testament Law contains 613 commandments, but they all boil down to 2 commands, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
Jesus explained what this looks like with a parable. He told of a man who, on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho, was beaten up and left for dead by robbers. A priest came by but didn’t do anything. After that a Levite passed by too, but he didn’t do anything to help the man either. Later, a Samaritan traveler saw
the man and, even though the Jews and Samaritans didn’t usually get along, he stopped, had compassion on the man, bandaged him up, took him to an inn, and paid for the man to be taken care of.
This is what it looks like to love our neighbors as ourselves. And I just wonder how often we show love like this to our neighbors. Most of us Christians would say that we do love God and love our neighbors. But does our love look like the good Samaritan’s? Is our love for God and neighbor characterized by sacrificial
service? Love isn’t just a feeling of good will. Love is active, love is hands-on, love is sacrificial. Is that what your love looks like?