Life has a way of causing secondary issues to capture our attention. If you’re not careful, the various competing demands can cause you to lose sight of what is ultimately important. A Jewish scribe heard Jesus responding with great wisdom to those who were attempting to trap Him by their questions. The scribe asked Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”

Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’  (Mark 12:29-30)

Jesus answered with the Shema, a well known prayer that captures the monotheistic essence of Judaism. Jesus stated that our entire being (heart, soul, mind, and strength) is to be focused upon God.

Man has a tendency to complicate what God wants to make simple. The teachers of the law had taken the Ten Commandments and turned them into 613 commandments. Rabbi Sammlai taught that Moses received 613 precepts on Mount Sinai, 365 according to the days of the year, and 248 according to the generations of men. Jesus taught that when our vertical relationship with God is strong, then our horizontal relationships with others will demonstrate God’s love,

“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)

The scribe commended Jesus’ response, for He could see that Jesus had captured the essence of the Old Testament Law in these two commandments. People today are asking a variety of questions, but are they asking the ones that matter? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe observed, “Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.”

As we take an honest look at our lives, we are forced to ask, “How can I love God with my entire being?” Even if I’m making progress at loving God, “How can I love my neighbor as myself?” The key is realizing that we can demonstrate the love of God because He first loved us,

We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

When you experience God’s love, then you become a channel of His love to others.  Augustine wisely remarked, “Listen to me, you who are poor; what is lacking to you if you have God? Listen to me, you who are rich; what do you possess if you do not have God? ”

You must realize that your spiritual health is proportional to your love for God. How is your love for God – are you seeking Him or His gifts? The one who puts God first, will be happy at last. May we be guided by Augustine’s principle of life, “To myself I will show a heart of steel, to my fellow-man a heart of love, to my God a heart of flame.”

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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