What is the most important thing? Now take a moment and think – what is the most important thing? Family, home, job, faith, hope, future, budget, kids, pets – the list goes on and on. But, what is the most important thing?
Jesus was talking to the teachers of the law and they asked a similar question, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Matthew 12:28). Jesus responded by telling them quite clearly that the “most important one was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” So, the most important thing is to love God with my heart, soul, mind, and strength. To love with my heart strikes me as loving with my emotions, my compassion, empathy, hope, and joy. To love with my soul is to love with my inmost being, my complete self. To love with my mind is to love with my intellect, searching out and learning about God. To love with my strength is loving even when I don’t feel like it, basing my choices on faith – not just emotion.
There was another command that followed this one, a second one that followed, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Oh that one is not always easy! How do I love my neighbor as myself? After making a daily choice to follow the first command, the second one needs to be looked at. When I love someone as myself, I need to help provide nourishment, structure, encouragement, discipline, strength, and forgiveness. No, not always easy – but much easier if the most important thing is being treated as the most important thing.
Check out the priorities you have set – what is your most important thing?
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