Matthew 22:37-39
English Standard Version (ESV)
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
During today's church service we looked at a Matthew 22:37-39 briefly. It got me to thinking are we loving each other as we would love ourselves? Maybe we are.
If I sat down to write a list of things that I like about myself, I don't think it would be longer than the list of things I don't like about myself. I can probably name ten things I'd change about myself in ten seconds and it would take ten minutes to find ten things I like. I'm much harsher on myself than I am on others. I see everything in me that lacks and often wonder what I have to offer. If this is the way in which I view myself then how do I view others? Have I bought into society's dictations on physical beauty and success? Am I weighing myself against these expectations and therefore also weighing others?
It all ties back into verse 37. If we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind; then his Spirit dwells in us and we love as He does. We learn to walk in His grace and mercy and we extend that to the people in our lives. I can try to love as God loves me. In my humanness that is impossible. I must fill my heart, soul, and mind with the things of God so that He shines through me.
During today's church service we looked at a Matthew 22:37-39 briefly. It got me to thinking are we loving each other as we would love ourselves? Maybe we are.
If I sat down to write a list of things that I like about myself, I don't think it would be longer than the list of things I don't like about myself. I can probably name ten things I'd change about myself in ten seconds and it would take ten minutes to find ten things I like. I'm much harsher on myself than I am on others. I see everything in me that lacks and often wonder what I have to offer. If this is the way in which I view myself then how do I view others? Have I bought into society's dictations on physical beauty and success? Am I weighing myself against these expectations and therefore also weighing others?
It all ties back into verse 37. If we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind; then his Spirit dwells in us and we love as He does. We learn to walk in His grace and mercy and we extend that to the people in our lives. I can try to love as God loves me. In my humanness that is impossible. I must fill my heart, soul, and mind with the things of God so that He shines through me.
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