Luke 10:27

Last night D's message was powerful and convicting. I've said it before, but I know without a doubt God uses my husband to put me in my place without D even knowing it.

The passage was Luke 10:27. A passage we are all very familiar with and probably all learned as a preschooler. 24 years after learning this verse, its powerful words still convict and change lives... mine in particular.

Whats so great about this verse is that it takes all of Jesus' commands and sums them up in one simple verse. Reading the verse and applying it are 2 very different things though.

We first see that this verse is not a suggestion. It doesn't say if you feel like it, but you are simply to do it. Period.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as your self."

Seems like a simple task until we remember how sinful and selfish we are and how difficult people are. I'm normally a pretty sweet, chill person. I can talk to anyone. However these pregnancy hormones have made my level of patience and irritability with annoying/difficult people less tolerable. The saying some people need a high five in the face with a chair is definitely very strong and down right mean... but its a reminder of how much I need Jesus when I think this. :)

All of this to say, Luke 10:27 is not easy!

D had 2 points for last night that help indicate where we stand with this verse.

1. Attitude- Does my attitude reflect the first part of this verse: that I love God above all else?
3 words help define this:
-discipline- need to
-duty-ought to
-devotion- want to

Which word would describe my love for God?

2. Action- Do my actions result in the fact that I love God? If so, then as a result, I will genuinely love people.
3 questions:
-how well do I love people? This answer tells me how much I love Jesus.
-how content am I? when I put Jesus first then others, and then myself... only then will I find true joy and contentment
-what do my actions reveal? You always act what you truly believe

If we really love God like most of us would admit then the way we treat people will be different. There would be no faking, no pettiness, no gossip... only genuine love for others as a result of our love for Jesus.