Love Others Well by Jason Ling

Mark 12: 30-31, "30 so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' 31 And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these.”

I was able to spend this last weekend camping with several families from our church and it was amazing. First of all being out in nature always makes me feel just a bit closer to our God and his creation. Second was being able to share this with some very wonderful people. There were adults and children running around and enjoying each other, really talking and listening well. This was one of those “aha” moments for me. This is what it looks like to love others as well as yourself.

I don’t think this verse is simply a call to give more, but to share of yourself in all that you do. This can be in sharing what you have but it also means listening more, allowing others to help, and to live life and worship together, honoring God in all that we do with and for each other. When I think of loving myself I think of caring for myself, so to love others I must care for them in the same ways. After all our Lord Jesus was the perfect example and I hope we all aim to be just a little more like him.

But what holds us back from really loving others the way God intended? Is it fear, lack of trust, being exposed or feeling inadequate in some way that makes us hold back? Good news is that God can help us through these things and let us experience love with him and others on a whole new level.

Lord, I pray today that we can love and honor you in all that we say and do and may we love and care for others just as we care for ourselves. May we love you with every part of our being. Amen.