The Second Greatest Commandment
B. Keith Chapman, President & CEO
The greatest commandment is for us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. This commandment is intended to be applicable to everyone, not just the people that live in our neighborhood, come from the same background or that have the same way of thinking. When the average person thinks about love, they are often focused on the exciting and warm feeling that we have for those we cherish the most. Love, in its full application, is so much more than a feeling. In fact, many may not fully understand our responsibility when it comes to loving one another. Love is not a courtesy, convenience, or even a suggestion; it is a command.
It is easy for us to love those who act and communicate in a way that agrees with our thoughts and feelings. However, you will not find any exceptions to the commandment of love in the Bible. In fact, you will find example after example of how Jesus extended love to those who didn’t deserve it. The most profound example to me is Judas’ betrayal. This betrayal started the chain of events that eventually lead to Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus treated Judas with the same love that he extended to the rest of the disciples even knowing that Judas would ultimately betray Him. Can you imagine exercising that level of self-control and love in your own life? This kind of love is pure and so impactful to those around us.
I Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” These few verses describe what seems to be an overwhelming description of how to exercise our love for each other. This kind of love is not based so much on the warm and happy feelings. Rather, it is a love based on commitment, action, and self-control. I don’t know about you, but when I read this passage, I can’t help but feel like there is more work for me to do in the area of love. Can you imagine what your family, workplace, and world would look like if everyone was focused on applying the kind of love described in I Corinthians 13?
It seems natural for us to focus more on trying to change people in an effort to make them easier to love. However, I believe our focus has to be love first. For those that have a personal relationship with God, we can rely on Him to handle the rest. I Corinthians 13 is so powerful in the way it challenges us, but at the same time, instills hope. I really appreciate the part that says, “Love never gives up, never loses faith… and endures through every circumstance.” Life can present some challenging times and hurtful experiences. However, the verse says love endures EVERY circumstance. Love is a powerful tool that provides an opportunity to resolve conflict, create meaningful relationships, and bridge differences. Like any other tool in the box, it only works when used properly by someone committed to the cause.
Challenge: Conduct a self-assessment on your ability to love others as described in I Corinthians 13. Focus on improving areas that are problematic. Remain committed to the process and be encouraged that love will endure EVERY circumstance.
Published: September 1, 2020
