Simple. Difficult. True.

Mark 12:28-31 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.”
 
THE teacher of the law who questioned Jesus is also known as a scribe. This is important because a scribe was a class of educated Jews who knew the law very well. Scribe is interchanged with lawyers. They were among the Pharisees. We point this out because the question came from one who well knew Moses’ law. The question required a direct answer. Jesus’ response summarized the Bible with  two sentences. Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Simple, isn’t it?
    No, it isn’t. If loving God with “all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” were simple, why does this command challenge us? A heart love for God elevates him to the center of your life. Loving God with your strength is holding tightly to his commands. Your mind that loves God is devoted to completely know who he is. Your strong love will stand firm against all who oppose God.
    Such love was too difficult for Israel. If Israel had truly heard, “Love the LORD. The LORD is one” what joy they would have known. God promised he would respond generously to their love: Deuteronomy 30:8 You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers. God wants you to love him for his glory and your good. Love God: Simple to understand. Difficult to live. True pathway to God’s blessings.        
    The same is true with  the command to love your neighbors as yourself. Your nature is to view your neighbor based on your preferences and point of view. You forget he’s seeing you in the same way. We must remember Jesus commands us to see one another through his love: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
    How do we know if we have this “love others” love? The Spirit gives us a good understanding in 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
    These words often spoken at weddings should be written on our hearts as we consider Jesus’ command. Patience, kindness, contentment, humility, forgiveness and mercy mark the relational love God commands. It is simple to define. Difficult to do on our own. True for a right relationship with all.
 
Consider: It may not be easy to love others. Is it easy for others to love you?