Where Am I?

  

 Mark 12: 28b-34

The Greatest Commandment

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

As we read this passage and put ourselves into the scene, would we have been able to say that yes, love of God and love of neighbor are the greatest commandments...and even be able to take it a step further and say that indeed, these are the ones I practice the best?  We might have to admit that ::"part B" needs a little more work, or more truthfully, a lot more work. To love everyone as myself is no easy task, And truly, is God #1 in my life?  I might give myself a passing grade until I look closely at how I spend my time, and find that God and his commandments have little to do with it. May  we spend some time with this passage today and in the months ahead to see where we are and to do something about it.  It's an on-going process...there's no one quick, "I'm there." answer.

Bro. Rene