“Love others, as you love yourself.”
“When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they
called a meeting to discuss how to trap Jesus. Then one of them, a religious
scholar, posed this question to test him: ‘Teacher, which commandment in
the law is the greatest?’
Jesus answered him, ‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart,
with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’
This is the greatest and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in
importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’”
- Matthew 22:34-39 TPT
Life has a way of getting complicated fast. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, my mind is racing. What do I have to get done today? Who am I meeting? What relationships in my family are stressing me out? How much money is left in my account and when is payday? Do I have enough to make it? AM I enough?
There are days when life is so complicated and overwhelming that my anxiety level is at an all-time high. Lately, it seems it’s just about every stinking day.
My heart longs for simple. How about you?
We have a sign over our doorway leading to the garage that says, “Simplify.” I love that sign. It reminds me to not take life so seriously and to relax and be present in the moment.
Jesus was all about simplifying life. He spelled it out for us when he responded to the religious scholar that tried to catch him in a trap. Only two things are important in this life:
Love God.
Love others.
That’s it. Not how much my net worth is. Not how much I give to charity. Not how many friends I have. Not how popular I am. Just. Two. Things. It can’t get more simple than that.
It’s the second part of the second command Jesus gives us that strikes me.
“Love others as you love yourself.”
What does that mean? How do I love myself?
Is it loud, obnoxious, “this is who I am” so-deal-with-it? I don’t think that’s what Jesus saying. It’s deeper than what people see or know of me. It’s a settled heart that knows my identity and who I am. If you believe in Jesus, he says you are a Beloved Child. It’s that simple. No rules to follow. No boxes to be checked on how you “should” behave. You, dear sister, are a Beloved Daughter of the King! You, brother, are a Beloved Son of the King! The Kingdom of God is on earth and we are in the royal family! Each one of us. Do you believe it? Are you living out of your identity every day? Jesus said it’s simple: Love God. Love others.
I can’t love you if I don’t love myself. Why? Because I’m a broken human being. I have agendas with people. I react out of my hurt. I hold grudges. I want justice. I don’t agree with that person. They’re an idiot. So, how can I love others?
I remember my royal standing.
It’ not about me. It’s about the King. I am his representative to the world around me. He has given me simple instructions to live today: Love others in the space you encounter them. Don’t preach at them. Don’t come with your own agenda to manipulate them to do something. Don’t have an attitude that you are better because you aren’t. Don’t make it about you. Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be generous with your words, your time and your treasure. In short, be a blessing to someone every chance you get.
This morning I ran to the store to get flour. When the grocery clerk handed me my receipt, I looked him in the eye and said, “Thank you Marco! You have a blessed day!” That was it. Simple. His response? You could tell he was touched deeply. I brought a blessing to him with my words and fulfilled the 2nd commandment.
If you’ve got an elderly parent and they don’t appreciate you, love him/her as you love yourself.
If your neighbor constantly gets on your nerves, love him/her as you love yourself.
If your co-worker is obnoxious and arrogant, love him/her as you love yourself.
If your boss is a micromanager, love him/her as you love yourself.
If your landlord ignores your need, love him/her as you love yourself.
If you see a stranger needing help crossing the street, love him/her as you love yourself.
If the grocery clerk is having a bad day, love him/her as you love yourself.
The result is the same for every situation: Just love the next person God puts in front of you. In that space, be a blessing and then shut up. Don’t tell anyone what you did. It spoils the reward the King has waiting for you. Just be a blessing.
Two things are key to being able to love others well:
Grace and acceptance.
Jesus extends grace and acceptance to love me right where I am. He’s my model. Loving others we get along with is easy. Loving difficult people is hard. But when I can release everyone and everything to God, my heart then has the space to offer grace to the next person. It’s not about me. It’s about them and who they are. Accepting them as Jesus does creates the space to love them well. When we do that, the kingdom advances another step forward. Did you hear that? Let that sink in.
When we love others as we love ourself, the Kingdom of God advances! Bringing Kingdom can be done every day by everyone of us as Beloved Sons and Daughters of the King. It’s that simple.
Action steps:
Give your time, talent or treasure today to someone who doesn’t need it or deserve it. They will be blessed and so will you. Spoiler alert: It’s contagious.
Share this blog on your social media and let’s start a movement of loving others well.
Maybe there’s a lot going on beneath the surface and you’re struggling with loving yourself. That’s what the ministry of Bringing Kingdom is about. Schedule a time to talk about it here.
Are you blessed by what you just read? Consider making a one-time gift to Bringing Kingdom and invest in a ministry that encourages others to live out of their identity as Beloved Sons and Daughters of the King!
Is your heart hungry for more kingdom content? Read about “Generational Anxiety,” shame, boundaries, and “The Father Eclipse” from Bringing Kingdom.
