28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. ~ Mark 12:28-34 (NASB)
We know well the two greatest commandments. Many of us hear them read in church on Sunday mornings, and we have read them in Scriptures many times. But do we live by those commandments? Not always, unfortunately. Sometimes we put other things ahead of the Lord in our lives, and even more often we are concerned about our own needs rather than the needs of our neighbors.
Let me always put You first, Lord, above everything and anything—in my time and in my devotion and love. And let me always love my neighbor as myself, putting the needs of others before my own needs. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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