It struck me the other day that we sing an awful lot about Jesus being everything, that it’s all about Jesus. And let’s face it they are both excellent sentiments but do they tell the whole story? I mean I know we should give our entire heart to Jesus and He should be our main focus, but is it really all about Jesus? Didn’t Jesus Himself say that we needed to love others as much as we love ourselves?
Could it be that in the act of sacrificially loving others we meet and learn to love Jesus on a whole new level? It seems that focusing on Jesus can be an excuse to ignore the plight of our fellow travellers while still convincing ourselves that we are ‘right with God’.
Maybe when we truly live all for Jesus we will find that our love for fellow man increases, but let’s not be naive – it will take some action on our part. If following Jesus doesn’t change the world or at least benefit everyone, including those who don’t believe, then what’s the point? I know we must prioritise Jesus, but if that doesn’t inspire us to love others then perhaps we need to take another look at the Jesus we have prioritised? Maybe this year living for Jesus can mean living for others too?
Matthew 22: 37-39 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
