Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10: How well do you love God? How well do you love others? Which number is lower?
Many Christians find it harder to love God than to love others because of two concerns: First, it’s difficult to talk to someone we can’t see. Second, we often seem too busy to read our Bible and pray. Who among us can’t sympathize with the mother who confessed that her days are so full of feeding, cleaning, and wiping that she finds little time to stop and sit in the presence of God?
And yet, I wonder if our questions present a false choice. Jesus said that loving God and loving neighbors are two inseparable sides of the same command (Matthew 22:37-39). John wrote that loving others is precisely how we love God, for “if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” (1 John 4:20). And Paul argued that loving others is our most important job, for “the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Galatians 5:14). Rather than to set loving God against loving others, Scripture declares that we love God by loving others.
Now, let’s bring this point home—literally. Martin Luther once said that our No. 1 neighbor is our spouse (Ephesians 5:21-30). It’s easy to play nice with people we see only occasionally, but how kind are we to those we live with? If we’re generous and patient with family—those we have long ago stopped trying to impress—then we can be confident that we do love God. Every hug and every kissed forehead is noticed by our heavenly Father. For when we love His children, we love Him.
More:
I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me! (Matthew 25:40).
Next:
If loving others is how we gauge our love for God, how much do you really love God? What can you do today to love those whom God has placed in your life?
peg on April 1, 2009 at 6:45 am
Thank you Mike. Good post. Jesus did say that if we give food or drink or visit someone in His Name, then we do it for Him. So, by loving His children, then we love Him. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
ptrickett on April 2, 2009 at 2:50 am
Yes with this, “Love your neighbor as yourself” makes it easy to help our brothers and sisters in need and want for me when I do. My lord is pleased and my love for him becomes greater heart, soul, and mind.
regina franklin on April 2, 2009 at 9:58 am
Thanks for letting the Holy Spirit speak through you. In times of stress, my attitude at home is the truest gauge of where am I spiritually.
Bill Winchester on July 29, 2009 at 9:49 am
my walk with the lord is not that storng as sould be i. feel that no one is out their for a friend and when i try to reach out i just used and they dont want me until they need something in return i dont go to church and i dont have one i been out of work over six months and i get no job leads my hole world is up side down my marriage is ok but . i am hurting alot and i don,t know what to do. i pray but i not even sure if he hears me
elisau on August 7, 2009 at 10:10 am
For me, it is a lot easier to love God than to love people. I have a vibrant relationship with the Lord. He is my lifeline in this broken world. There are so many people who are unable to love others in a healthly and balanced way. The only reason that I can love them is becasue God enables me to.
Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.