“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” -Jesus (John 13:34)
As Jesus is wrapping up in life on earth, He’s imparting to His followers “the main thing.”
One of the many things to appreciate about Jesus is that He kept it simple. Sure, His wisdom is other worldly and we only see and hear in part. But, at the same time, He was alway breaking it down—especially for His inner circle. We have the benefit of reading what they heard, first-hand.
“A new command.”
That means that there were old commands. In fact, Jesus affirmed the old commands—old testament—and then said the most important part of all of the Jewish teachings was this:
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear…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.” -Jesus (Mark 12:29-31)
Jesus summed up all the Law and all the religious teachings in two sentences.
Then… Later…
Jesus simplifies it further:
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
In other words (my words),
“You’re loving me as you love each other, so just focus on loving each other and we’re good.”
Life = simple
Not easy, but simple.
So, let’s ask ourselves today: What does love require?
What does love require of you in that painful situation?
What does love require in that dilemma?
What does love require in that opportunity?
What does love require?