Jesus Upholds the Law
Jesus was considered a great teacher of the Torah (the first five books in our Old Testament). His ability to teach those books amazed even the most educated priests and Pharisees.
In Matthew 22, his apostle writes about when He was in Jerusalem talking with the spiritual leaders of His day and handling the hard questions they asked. Jesus had just settled a question asked of Him by the Sadducees (a spiritual sect), and was now facing the Pharisees who wanted to test and trap Him.
One of the Pharisees asked Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
Jesus answered them by saying:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
If anyone could sum up the law of God it was Jesus. He made it clear that those who believe in God will first love Him with their whole selves, and second, love those they come in contact with as themselves. This was what the law depended upon.
The only way we will love other people well is if we first devote ourselves to loving God and allow ourselves to be loved by Him. Growing in love for God involves intentionally spending time in His Word, having honest conversations with Him, and reflecting on His character every day, throughout the day. Showing love for God looks like doing what He commands—and that includes loving the people around us the way that God loves us.
So in what ways do you already love God with your heart, soul, and mind? And what steps can you take to love those around you today?
Think Like a Child
Think about the greatest person you’ve ever met. What is it about the person that makes them stand out to you? Maybe it’s their accomplishments, their character, their power or wealth, or the way they handle hard situations.
Now compare that impressive person to a child in your life. According to Jesus, anyone who is truly great in His kingdom will be like that little child. In fact, to even enter into His kingdom, we need to be childlike. Here’s why:
Children rely on others to meet their needs. Little children instinctively know that they are vulnerable and helpless. They aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it because they know that help from the right person is their source of strength.
Children don’t care about acquiring power. They don’t view others as threats to their authority because they don’t have any authority to threaten. Everything a child has is given to them.
Children know who they belong to. Children know who to run to when ...