The Newest Commandment

[JoeMo]

Back in the days of the Exodus - about 3,500 years ago - God gave the Israelites the 10 Commandments.  This Law stood for over 1,500 years substantially unchanged by God.  Then before His crucifixion, Jesus gave us a new commandment:

" “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

What is this "love" Jesus is speaking of?  1 Corinthians 13 describes it best"

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,  but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 

1 John 4:8 says that God is love.  So I substituted the word "God" for the word "love" in 1 Cor. 13.  With the exception of the last verse of the chapter, this described God to a "T".  If I am to use God and Jesus as my example on how to conduct myself, I should be able to love like that with God's grace.

Another thing I inferred (possibly incorrectly) is that if I did everything the Commandments require, but have don't have this kind of love for my fellow man as well as God, it gains me nothing.

If I am remembered for anything in this world, I want to be remembered for how much love I showed to others - whether on the streets, in my church, or on this forum.  Looking back on some of my recent posts, I confess I haven't consistently shown that love which I wish to embody.

 I apologize to any of you out there to whom I haven't shown the kind of love that this new Commandment requires.

[JoeMo]

I have to remember to meet, communicate, and accept people where they are in their walk.  That includes accepting them for who they are.  I know that I am quirky; and I know that I sometimes press some rather contrarian ideas - sometimes to the point of sounding dogmatic.  I expect people here to treat me with some modicum of respect and courtesy; and I sometimes get offended when they don't.  Yet I am frequently mystified why people get offended at stuff I post!  Hmmm ... I wonder why?

I realized that I was carrying a double standard by being offended by what others' posted, while being puzzled why anyone would be offended by anything I say!  Well, I'm the way I am and I want people to accept me for that - quirks and all.  I pray that I can consistently show the same respect and courtesy that I expect them to show me.  Even if they don't, I pray that I can be respectful of their thoughts and opinions.