missing the boat

Matthew 22

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.

35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:

36 "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"

  37 Jesus replied,

"'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 A second is equally important:

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

There you have it...

If we boil it all down, here's what we're supposed to be all about...

Love God, love others.

Now this didn't come from someone who is white, middle class, anal retentive, conservative, hard tail, Christian right, male.

Nor did it come from some loosey goosey, whatever feels good do it, hair on fire, weirdo.

Nor did it come from anything or anyone in between.

That's Jesus talking here.

Love God, love others.

Y'all, I think we're missing the boat these days.

I think we've imbued ourselves with behavior, thinking, actions, focus, attitude, & a plethora of other characteristics that operate outside the pale of the central most mandate.

The focus of our lives as followers of Jesus must ultimately be to “love God & love others”.

That IS what the Son of God said when pressed by the Pharisees.

And I figure He ought to know.

And everything else that we've tacked on is simply window dressing, or superfluous, or just plain NOT who we're to be & do.

Jesus DID say that we will be identified as His followers by the way we love (John 13:35)...

...NOT by the things we have tacked on thee days as being talismans & authenticators of our Christianity.

Love God, love others.

Read it, heed it.