37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40)
Jesus only had two great commandments. God gave Moses ten commandments. Where did all these other rules come from. Every Christian religion has them. Whether it is, not eating meat, or not drinking alcoholic beverages, or banning a group from ministry because of gender or sexual orientation. What has all that have to do with love? How do these rules fit into Jesus' plan for humanity to love and care for one another?
Well they don't. If you love, all the rest is unimportant. If you love, you will be following the example of Jesus Love is caring, having respect, having compassion, having forgiveness,and having patience for all humanity, not those you choose. Jesus does have a footnote to his commandment that says in small print, love only those we choose, or those we consider lovable, or only those who have social status; as a matter of fact he says just the opposite. Jesus commands us to love our enemies, and to forgive those who hurt us. The commandment to love does not discriminate. As Paul tells us, we are all one in Christ. Christianity should be the great equalizer, where all are treated with the same love. Too often it takes on the characteristics of the same society that it may be speaking against.
As followers of Christ we should treat each other with love and respect regardless of anything; there are no boundaries to compassionate love. Jesus came to reduce the burden of a religion that had lost touch with people. Rules mattered more than kindness and compassion. The very same thing is happening today.
You may say that you cannot change a whole religion and that is true. However, you can be a person who speaks up when change is needed. Don't be someone who watches from the protected sidelines, and will not get involved when you see Jesus' commandments being violated. Don't just go along with the status quo in order to remain in control or in the favor of the hierarchy. You can be one who speaks out for love. Change begins with one person voicing an objection.
Jesus died for his commandments. Jesus died so that we could see how one should live. He conquered death by rising, demonstrating that his commandments to love were stronger than any rule that humankind can invent. His power is stronger than any human power. If you allow injustice to continue, you are no better than those who commit the injustice. Even though you cannot control others and their actions, you can control what you do and what you say. Speak out for equality, speak out for justice, speak out for love. Jesus will be right there with you.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
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