When a religious expert asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” they expected one answer. Instead, Jesus gave two. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’… And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)
I’ve often thought about why Jesus answered one question with two commandments. I also think about Jesus' response to their question, "Who is thy neighbor?" in Luke chapter 10.
Jesus didn't give them two commandments in His response because He couldn’t decide which one was greater. It was because, in His mind, they were inseparable. The second commandment wasn’t an add-on to the first. It was its expression. Jesus refused to let us claim to love God while ignoring the people He loves.
Loving God can seem easy. He is perfect, faithful, merciful, holy, and altogether lovely. We can stand in church with our hands lifted, our hearts full, and our voices raised in worship. Those are beautiful expressions of love for God.
But Jesus doesn’t leave our love for Him inside the walls of the church. He sends it home with us. He sends it into our marriages, our families, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and even into our encounters with strangers. Suddenly our worship is no longer measured only by the songs we sing, but by the grace we extend, the forgiveness we offer, the patience we show, and the kindness we demonstrate to people who may not deserve it. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)
That is exactly how Jesus loved.
He loved people with the Father’s love. He touched lepers. He forgave sinners. He welcomed children. He showed mercy to the broken and compassion to the hurting. Even while hanging on the cross, He prayed for those who were crucifying Him.
His love for the Father was continually expressed through His love for others. And Jesus loved those who were with Him in the moment!
That should cause every one of us to pause.
If I leave a worship service filled with love for God but quickly become impatient with my spouse, harsh toward a coworker, cold toward a neighbor, or unwilling to forgive someone who has hurt me, what does that reveal? It doesn’t mean my worship wasn’t sincere. But it may reveal that my love for God hasn’t yet matured into the kind of love Jesus described.
The Apostle John understood this perfectly when he wrote, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar” (1 John 4:20 NIV). Strong words—but they echo what Jesus had already taught. We cannot separate the two.
Perhaps that’s why Jesus answered one question with two commandments. One reveals itself through the other. The truest evidence that I am growing in my love for God isn’t simply that I worship Him more passionately. It’s that, by His grace, I love people more like Jesus does.
Today, let’s ask ourselves a different question. Instead of asking, “How much do I love God?” perhaps we should ask, “How well am I loving the people God has placed in my life?” The answer to the second question may tell us more about the first than we ever realized. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’… And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us that loving You and loving others can never be separated. Forgive me for the times I've been quick to worship You with my words while being slow to reflect Your love in my actions. Fill my heart afresh with Your Holy Spirit so that Your love flows naturally through me into every relationship You've entrusted to my care. Help me to be patient when it's difficult, kind when it's unexpected, forgiving when I've been wounded, and compassionate toward those who need Your grace. Let my home, my workplace, my church, and my community become places where people experience the love of Christ because they have encountered me. May my worship never end with a song, but continue in the way I speak, the way I serve, and the way I love. Let my love for others become a genuine reflection of my love for You, bringing honor and glory to Jesus in all I do. In Jesus' name, Amen.
