Someone has a question for Jesus: Teacher, what is the greatest commandment? The core directive, the law that simplifies life and goes straight to the essentials?
Jesus doesn’t hesitate and loudly lets his inner inspiration sum it up in a phrase: “You shall love” — a verb in the future tense, indicating a never-ending action that will last as long as time. Love is not a duty but a necessity to live and live perpetually.
There is no hint at personal gain, destruction, or domination, only love that builds, completes, and renews life every time.
With these words, we can peek at Jesus’ deep faith: His Father is all love; The foundation of the whole law is “you are loved,” and the heavenly commandment “you shall love.”
When you love God, he returns it to you, richly blessed, pure, and full of life. Now, you must turn around and offer divine love to your neighbor, just as God has blessed you.
Because love was never meant for us to hoard but to offer in God’s name. You were not loved with everlasting life to let it die locked in your heart but to share with your neighbor and see it flourish and multiply.
You become the embodiment of divine love when you share it with others. It’s healing and refreshing, like the scent of freshly cut grass. When you trim grass, it retaliates with a fragrant aroma.
God’s presence becomes flesh: you shall love your neighbor as yourself!