Love others as yourself
Norah Summers
November 09, 2018
Add to Favourites
Mark 12: 28-34
28 A teacher of the Law was there who heard the discussion. He saw that Jesus had given the Sadducees a good answer, so he came to him with a question: “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
29 Jesus replied, “The most important one is this: ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second most important commandment is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment more important than these two.”
32 The teacher of the Law said to Jesus, “Well done, Teacher! It is true, as you say, that only the Lord is God and that there is no other god but he. 33 And you must love God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength; and you must love your neighbor as you love yourself. It is more important to obey these two commandments than to offer on the altar animals and other sacrifices to God.”
34 Jesus noticed how wise his answer was, and so he told him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
After this nobody dared to ask Jesus any more questions.
This is the bit folk find hard, and usually gloss over.
“Love others” sounds fine, even if some of them are hard to love.
But “as you love yourself”?
We Scots are much better at the self-deprecation.
Weren’t we all well told when we were wee -
Don’t get above yourself.
Don’t think too much of yourself.
Yet this isn’t about boastfulness,
or self-promotion,
or narcissism.
It is about the proper self-respect
that befits a child of God.
Faithful God,
you have made us,
you love us,
you want the best for us.
If that is true,
how can we not love ourselves,
made in your image,
loved so much that you sent your Son for us?
God, give us grace
to accept
and to reflect
your faithful and everlasting love.
Login to comment.