Loving God and Loving People

5.5.2010

Matthew 22:40 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

The mission statement of a church I used to attend was “Loving God and Loving People”. As staff, we had lengthy discussions as to whether this was mission or purpose; and I’m not sure we ever solved the semantics of it all, but Jesus sums it up for us in this passage in Matthew; all of the Christian life boils down to this: Love God and Love People.

If ever there was a weak spot in me, it’s the love people part. I don’t have much of a problem with God, He’s not mean to me; He’s not stupid, or selfish, or hurtful. People on the other hand are all of these things and more. The worst part is as people have done to me, I have done to people.

Heaven will be (when we get there because it already is) a hurt-less place; no hurts in heaven. And I believe I am bound for heaven, and being trained in this life to live in and understand the hurt-less culture of heaven. But that means dealing with the hurts of earth in order to be trained for heaven where there are no hurts. And Jesus tells me the best way to handle hurts of all kinds, is to be filled with the love of God upwards to Him, and outwards to people… because His Kingdom is a Kingdom of love.

Honoring God is loving Him, and loving Him is loving His handiwork in people.

Father in Heaven,

You’ve called me to love as You love and Lord, I admit that most days my love for people is really only an arms-length toleration of them. Help me to love more deeply and deal with hurts by loving more deeply. You know I struggle here and I ask for Your help because I know You know I need it – thank You. Amen.