First, "ALL the law and the prophets". If we do not view the entire Old Testament through this lens, we are misinterpreting it.
Second, it is remarkable how often we are told to include "the sojourner within your gates", which pretty well covers immigrants and refugees.
Third, I see an interesting progression within Scripture. It starts with one family, then expands to one tribe, then to all of the tribes of Israel, then to nations, and finally to include not only the Jews, but the Gentiles -- which in turn includes the entire human race.
God's love always expands, and God expects our love to do the same.
Hi Diana. A timely piece. I’m presently at Oxford where our son is doing his PhD at Magdalen engaging Kierkegaard’s thot re “the greatest commandment.” Question for you, based on your thots here: If, as I understand you to be saying here, it is virtually impossible to decouple the second commandment from the first, how then are they two or, different commandments? Is it possible, or not, to love the Lord your God with ALL without reference to neighbor? If so, what does that look like in daily living?
Thank you for this. The last couple of years have been difficult in may ways not the least in learning again and again the command to love my neighbor as myself.
I'm so tired of hearing people say, "We should take care of 'our own.'" Who are "our own?!" We are all first and foremost all God's children. God didn't create boundaries, as far as I know.
The 2nd is "like" but not equivalent. We can't love the biblical God without loving our neighbor, but we can love our neighbor without loving God. On the other hand, the Christian does have this advantage. When it comes to forgiving, which is an essential component of loving one's enemy, and it seems impossible to do, the one remedy is to go to the foot of the Cross and tell Jesus not to die for that person's sins. Truly knowing the forgiveness of God offered there, we can only plead for the help of God to forgive others for the worst. This is absolutely not about forgiving the deed, but the person. A good start is to remember we are not greater than God. Then to realize we are being commanded to do what is beyond our capacity. Finally, to surrender to the Love of God for all, and allow it to transform us into instruments of God.
To love means to take responsibility for not just your own life but the lives of others. There is no doubt that from the moment of birth (and perhaps before birth) each and every human being faces breaking that happens to us in all kinds of ways, small, large, accidental, and fully intended. Too many are hurt and are hurting, as well as hurting others. Maybe to love means to involve oneself in "casting out fear" - making space and place safe. That means believing that you are not the only one to think about. Maybe loving oneself must begin by loving another whose situation meets you where the world's anguish is most felt in yourself.
I agree with Sandy - the struggle for most of us is 'how do we love ourselves' broken as we are and therefore we do a bad job of loving 'others' or all stripes.
Bette hating is not the opposite of loving. It is an emotion we have because we care. !! Caring is exhausting at times! And for me it is certainly exhausting in this time. I personally think I -we have to look at the second part of that verse first— Love yourself / modern language I try to use prayer for self as part of my self care in before I can pray for the evil ones . Also helps me pray for the Ukraines in solidarity and more local stuff. What we put out there matters. And it is hard! Peace to all and thanksgiving for Diana who keeps me focused!
The second commandment is predicated on the assumption we love ourselves in healthy ways. All too often, our misguided self-love is passed on to our neighbors. As Richard Rohr says, "hurting people hurt people",
Several comments --
First, "ALL the law and the prophets". If we do not view the entire Old Testament through this lens, we are misinterpreting it.
Second, it is remarkable how often we are told to include "the sojourner within your gates", which pretty well covers immigrants and refugees.
Third, I see an interesting progression within Scripture. It starts with one family, then expands to one tribe, then to all of the tribes of Israel, then to nations, and finally to include not only the Jews, but the Gentiles -- which in turn includes the entire human race.
God's love always expands, and God expects our love to do the same.
Hi Diana. A timely piece. I’m presently at Oxford where our son is doing his PhD at Magdalen engaging Kierkegaard’s thot re “the greatest commandment.” Question for you, based on your thots here: If, as I understand you to be saying here, it is virtually impossible to decouple the second commandment from the first, how then are they two or, different commandments? Is it possible, or not, to love the Lord your God with ALL without reference to neighbor? If so, what does that look like in daily living?
Thank you for this. The last couple of years have been difficult in may ways not the least in learning again and again the command to love my neighbor as myself.
I'm so tired of hearing people say, "We should take care of 'our own.'" Who are "our own?!" We are all first and foremost all God's children. God didn't create boundaries, as far as I know.
The 2nd is "like" but not equivalent. We can't love the biblical God without loving our neighbor, but we can love our neighbor without loving God. On the other hand, the Christian does have this advantage. When it comes to forgiving, which is an essential component of loving one's enemy, and it seems impossible to do, the one remedy is to go to the foot of the Cross and tell Jesus not to die for that person's sins. Truly knowing the forgiveness of God offered there, we can only plead for the help of God to forgive others for the worst. This is absolutely not about forgiving the deed, but the person. A good start is to remember we are not greater than God. Then to realize we are being commanded to do what is beyond our capacity. Finally, to surrender to the Love of God for all, and allow it to transform us into instruments of God.
To love means to take responsibility for not just your own life but the lives of others. There is no doubt that from the moment of birth (and perhaps before birth) each and every human being faces breaking that happens to us in all kinds of ways, small, large, accidental, and fully intended. Too many are hurt and are hurting, as well as hurting others. Maybe to love means to involve oneself in "casting out fear" - making space and place safe. That means believing that you are not the only one to think about. Maybe loving oneself must begin by loving another whose situation meets you where the world's anguish is most felt in yourself.
I agree with Sandy - the struggle for most of us is 'how do we love ourselves' broken as we are and therefore we do a bad job of loving 'others' or all stripes.
Bette hating is not the opposite of loving. It is an emotion we have because we care. !! Caring is exhausting at times! And for me it is certainly exhausting in this time. I personally think I -we have to look at the second part of that verse first— Love yourself / modern language I try to use prayer for self as part of my self care in before I can pray for the evil ones . Also helps me pray for the Ukraines in solidarity and more local stuff. What we put out there matters. And it is hard! Peace to all and thanksgiving for Diana who keeps me focused!
The second commandment is predicated on the assumption we love ourselves in healthy ways. All too often, our misguided self-love is passed on to our neighbors. As Richard Rohr says, "hurting people hurt people",