Thought for the Day – Thursday 28th May
According to Jesus, when he was asked by the teachers of the Law, the
‘Greatest Commandment’ is this:
‘”You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This
is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love
your neighbour as yourself.”’ (Matthew 22: 37-39)
These words which should impact our very living are I am sure very
familiar to us – particularly when recorded this way as they are in the New
Revised Standard Version translation of the Bible. However, as part of my daily
devotions I like to compare texts in other translations and reflect on how
those translating Jesus’ words have understood them and tried to relay them meaningfully
to us. When I did this this morning it was the Message translation which kind
of popped out at me. It translates as:
‘Jesus said, “Love the Lord your
God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” This is the most
important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: “Love
others as well as you love yourself.”’
It was that word ‘passion’ which struck me most for that is exactly how
we should love God - with a passion! A passion so strong, fed by a life of
prayer and reflection on God. A passion which grows ever stronger the deeper
into that life of prayer and mindfulness on God we go. A passion which should
overwhelm us to our very heart, soul and mind and make it so much easier for us
to live out that second commandment to love others as we love ourselves.
We do talk in the church, and in these daily posts, so much of that
second command to love others but who are those others, who are we called to
love. I am sure we will all have our own opinions on that, perhaps we might
even be prone to ‘pick and mix’ those we wish to consider as ‘others’ for are
not some ‘others’ easier to love than others. Yet, does Jesus not call us in
this commandment to love ‘others’ – not some others but all. Jesus does not
leave us without an example of who to love either because he, passionate for
God and for God’s Kingdom to come, reached out to all – including those people
some would never even have noticed. So a good example for us! But who are our
‘others’?
Well, I came across another hymn in ‘Known
Unknown’ called ‘The ‘Other Person’’ which speaks of those Jesus saw and it
might just help us to reflect on that question. You can sing it to either ‘O
for a closer walk with God’ or ‘Amazing Grace’.
The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
was one the rest despised,
his virtues unidentified,
her worth unrealised.
The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
was known for what was wrong,
not for the wrong once done to
him,
not for her soul or song.
The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
had faith nobody knew,
and grounded hope and grateful
love
found only in a few.
The ‘other person’ Jesus saw
was meant to laugh and shout,
defy authoritarian rules
and drive the demons out.
The ‘other person’ Jesus sees
is also known to me:
it’s who I am beneath the masks
and who I’m meant to be.
Come gently, Jesus, to our aid;
let there be recognised
the good each ‘other’ has to
share,
even when
it’s well disguised. ©
John L. Bell Wild Goose Resource Group 2018
Could you identify the Biblical stories shown in each verse and
identify the ‘others’?
‘Jesus said, “Love the Lord your
God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” This is the most
important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it:
“Love others as well as you love yourself.”’
So come on let’s think about how we can be passionate for God and fulfil
Jesus’ commands and reach out in love to others!
Prayer
Loving God,
Give us a love for you that is passionate and grow within us a love
that is forgiving, gentle and generous that we might see with our eyes as Jesus
saw with his and see in all the ‘others’ we meet a little glimpse of you.
Empower us in such love to reach out to all ‘others’ with the same passionate love
which you have for us that they may see in us a glimpse of you and come to know
you and your love more. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
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