Words To Remember - "The Order Of Love"

Continuing in the spirit and message of this year and season of Order on this Valentine's Day, we turn to the book of Mark 12:28-34, wherein we see a dialogue taking place between Jesus and an unnamed scribe about the first/greatest commandment.  The text reads as follows:  "One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, 'Which commandment is the first of all?'  Jesus answered, 'The first is, 'Hear, O Israel:  the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 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.'  The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these.  Then the scribe said to him, 'You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other'; and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,'---this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.'  When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.'  After that no one dared to ask him any question." (NRSV).


We see in the preceding verses that the order of love is God first.  When Jesus was posed with the question of which commandment was first, He quoted the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ("Hear, O Israel:  The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."- NRSV).  In order for us to love properly, we must love God first.  And we are to love Him with everything in us; in other words, we are to be totally consumed with interest, regard and devotion to Him.

However, notice that Jesus did not stop with just saying that we must love God, but He afterward included loving our neighbor as ourself.  Jesus quoted this from Leviticus 19:18 ("You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD." - NRSV).  Jesus connected the spiritual with the practicle.  Our love for God will be expressed in our love for one another.  As I John 4:20 says, "...for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen."  And I John 5:1 says, "...and everyone who loves the parent loves the child."  We are to love people, just like we already love ourselves.  "The Order of Love."

Happy Valentine's Day!