Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” 29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:28-31 (NKJV)
I don’t think any Christ follower would disagree with the greatest commandment Jesus gave. Love God. That’s a no brainer. However, our ability to follow the second commandment He gave determines our ability to truly fulfill the first. Love your neighbor.
The second commandment may also sound like a no brainer. I’m sure this is the assumption of the vast majority of the Church. Nobody disagrees with this second command. Most would say they follow it, but few truly walk it out. Love your neighbor. Lots of churches even have it written in their mission statement, yet few live it daily. Love your neighbor.
It doesn’t say “correct your neighbor”. It’s not “save your neighbor”. It’s not even “invite your neighbor to church”. Love your neighbor. We live in an instant gratification culture where our top priority is to be right. These two factors alone are the greatest road blocks to fulfilling the second commandment. You can’t effectively love someone if your primary objective is to correct them.
Your neighbor will never experience what you live for until you stop using the majority of your energy to broadcast what you’re against.
What matters most? Jesus told us. Love God. Love your neighbor.