I know a lot of people who have workaholic tendencies. While the reasons are many, I think for some, the “work of their hands” can become their god. In other words, they put work above everything else in their lives, including family and God. See what God has to say about this in today’s first reading from Hosea 14.
In the Gospel reading from Mark 12, a scribe asks Jesus which is the first (in importance, not number) of all the commandments. Jesus answered to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. The scribe affirms this. “And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the Kingdom of God.'”
The scribe got it. We must love God, but that, in and of itself, is not enough. We must love our neighbor as well. And you know your neighbor is not just the person who lives near you. (Heck, they can be hard enough to love as it is!) All of God’s children are our neighbors. So that means we need to love everyone. While in my brain I understand the concept, too often with my heart I just don’t get it. Do you? It’s easier said than done, for sure.
Father, we know these two great commandments with our heads. Help us to get it with our hearts as well. Amen.
Want help in learning to love others? Read Magnetic Christianity, available at www.GusLloyd.com.
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