Mark 12:30-31
Sunday after Sunday I have listened to sermons about the significance of these instructions and the sanctity they should hold on the life of a Christian, and despite being bathed in these words my whole life, last Sunday I heard them a bit differently. It was like hearing them for the first time.
I began to think about what that really means, to love your neighbor. I have always tried my best to be kind to those around me. I have believed for years that being unpleasant to someone you do not care for does not make you honest, but someone lacking maturity. I consider myself to be (as much as possible) a nice girl. But when Jesus taught the Pharisees the most important things that his followers must do he didn't call us to Love God and be nice to our neighbor. He didn't ask me to tolerate my neighbor. He didn't ask me to smile at my neighbor even when I didn't want to, or to feign interest in my neighbor even if I think they're boring. He asked me to LOVE them.
The dictionary defines love as 1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person, or 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
Can we just let that sink in? Profoundly tender, personal attachment and deep affection. Not the ability to hold off my eye rolls until I am out of the presence of someone that really gets on my nerves.
I don't know about you, but this is hard for me. Not that I consider myself to be extremely disingenuous nor do I feel constantly annoyed with those around me, but when I think about all of the people I come into contact with: coworkers, slow waitstaff, the guy who hogs the smith machine at the gym, that women who cut me off in traffic today, that person whose Facebook status about politics made my blood boil, everyone in the world, I begin to wonder how well I am truly feeling for them a tender warmth and affection. The reality is, love is absolutely an action. But love is also a state of mind, it must come from the inside-out. I MUST truly begin see each person I know and meet as the child of God that they are and to change the condition of my heart to really embrace them, to identify the wonderful things about them and to care about their well-being. I must feel sympathy and sorrow in their sadness and joy in their moments of triumph. I must forgive them for offenses that they haven't asked forgiveness for and pray for them always.
This is what I was made to do, but I cannot do it on my own. The kind of love that extends past your inner circle of your favorite people in the world must come from God. I must ask Him everyday to fill my heart with love and compassion for His people, so that I can see them through His ever-loving eyes. It is impossible to expect myself to feel this completely on my own. So, not only must we love God with all of our hearts, soul, mind, and strength because He is almighty, loving, and deserving of it, but because it is the ONLY way to do the second thing He asks of us, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (And I love myself a lot, there's no person in the world who is on my mind more.)
Goodness, what a relief it is to know that I don't have to force myself to be loving any longer. Since my heart can be daily filled with love given to me, a love for that is mine to distribute, I no longer have to try so hard, and being kind is no longer a task. When you love someone sincerely it is no longer a burden, but an honor.
